Genus: Lyngbya wollei / Microseira wollei
Cyanobacteria (blue green algae)
The genus of Lyngbya wollei is under question. Originally, there was some question if it was Plectonema or Lyngbya. More recently, it has been placed in the Microseira genus. Lyngbya wollei is a benthic filamentous cyanobacterium that looks like thick mats of hair on the bottom. Under the microscope, Lyngbya filaments look like a stack of coins in a clear sheath. There are spaces within the sheath without cells, and the ends of the filaments break with the ends of the sheath extending paste the cells.