Scientist's lifelong obsession with mystery of elusive 'pink zebra' seaweed
Professor Christine Maggs has identified a new species of pink-striped seaweed after a 40-year search. The discovery, found on maerl beds in Cornwall, has been officially documented and added to the Natural History Museum's collection.
Why it matters
This discovery highlights the importance of marine biodiversity and the persistence required in scientific research to understand fragile underwater ecosystems.
Scientist's lifelong obsession with mystery of elusive 'pink zebra' seaweed
The Great Barrier Reef might be the world's most famous underwater ecosystem, but hidden in UK waters lies an ancient marine world you may not have heard of.
Known as maerl beds, these carpets of coral-like seaweed create some of the richest habitats in the sea.
And 40 years ago, while studying one such bed for her PhD, Prof Christine Maggs found a fragment of pink-striped seaweed living on maerl she had never seen before.
The discovery would become a lifelong obsession and a decades-long scientific puzzle.
Image source, Francis Bunker Image caption, New c eramium is an entirely new species unknown to science
Maerl beds may closely resemble corals but they are in fact thousands of pieces of free-living calcified seaweed that can interlock to create a carpet brimming with life.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in