Marimo
Three common growth forms of Aegagropila linnaei, the lake ball proper, "free-floating filaments" and epilithic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Chlorophyta Class: Ulvophyceae Order: Cladophorales Family: Cladophoraceae Genus: Aegagropila Species: A. linnaei
Binomial name
Aegagropila linnaei Kützing

Marimo (Japanese: 毬藻 marimo), also known as Cladophora ball, Lake ball, or Moss Balls in English, is a species of filamentous green algae (Chlorophyta) found in a number of lakes in the northern hemisphere. The name though refers to a certain rare growth form of the species where the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance. Colonies of such balls are known only from Iceland, Japan, south west Siberia and Estonia. Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Pteridophyta - ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants... Classes Chlorophyceae Ulvophyceae Trebouxiophyceae Prasinophyceae The Chlorophyta sensu stricto or chlorophytes, comprises most of what are commonly called green algae and includes most members of the grade of putatively ancestral scaly flagellates in Prasinophyceae plus members of Ulvophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Pedinophyceae, Picocystophyceae, and unclassified Chlorophyta. ... Orders Acrosiphoniales Caulerpales Cladophorales Dasycladales Oltmansiellopsidales Trentepohliales Ulotrichales Ulvales The Ulvophyceae or Ulvophytes are class of green algae, distinguished mainly on the basis of ultrastructural morphology. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... A seaweed (Laurencia) up close: the branches are multicellular and only about 1 mm thick. ... Classes Chlorophyceae Ulvophyceae Trebouxiophyceae Prasinophyceae The Chlorophyta sensu stricto or chlorophytes, comprises most of what are commonly called green algae and includes most members of the grade of putatively ancestral scaly flagellates in Prasinophyceae plus members of Ulvophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Pedinophyceae, Picocystophyceae, and unclassified Chlorophyta. ...

Classification and nomenclature

They were first discovered in the 1820s by Dr. Anton E. Sauter in Lake Zeller (de:Irrsee), Austria. The genus Aegagropila was established by Kützing (1843) with A. linnaei as the type species based on its formation of spherical aggregations, but all the Aegagropila species were transferred to subgenus Aegagropila of genus Cladophora later by the same author (Kützing 1849). Subsequently, A. linnaei has been accommodated in the genus Cladophora in the Cladophorales and has been renamed Cladophora aegagropila (L.) Rabenhorst and Cl. sauteri (Nees ex Kütz.) Kütz. Extensive DNA research in 2002 returned the name to Aegagropila linnaei. The presence of chitin in the cell walls makes it distinct from the genus Cladophora. Nationalistic independence movements helped reshape the world during this decade: Greece gains independence from the Ottoman Empire in the Greek War of Independence (1821-1827). ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Structure of the chitin molecule, showing two of the N-Acetylglucosamine units that repeat to form long chains in beta-1,4 linkage. ...

The plant was named "marimo" by a Japanese botanist Tatsuhiko Kawakami 川上龍彦 (Kawakami Tatsuhiko) in 1898 (Meiji 31). Mari is a bouncy play ball. Mo is a generic term for plants that grow in water. The native names in Ainu are tōrasanpe (lake ghost) and tōkarippu (thing that rolls in mud). Note: the Ainu names were transliterated into kana, then transliterated into the Latin alphabet. Therefore the spelling may not be a close representation of the original pronunciation. They are sometimes sold in aquaria under the name "Japanese moss balls" although they are unrelated to moss. In Iceland the lake balls are called kúluskítur by the local fishermen at Mývatn (kúla = ball. skítur = any kind of weed that gets entangled in the fishing nets). Botany is the scientific study of plant life. ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Meiji period (Japanese: Meiji Jidai 明治&#26178... The Ainu language (Ainu: , aynu itak; Japanese: ainu-go) is spoken by the Ainu ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō. It was once spoken in the Kurile Islands, the northern part of HonshÅ«, and the southern half of Sakhalin. ... Transliteration is the practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another writing system. ... Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Manyogana 万葉仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Rōmaji ローマ字 For other meanings of Kana, see Kana (disambiguation). ... The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. ... Aquarium is also the name of the Russian band, which is also spelled Akvarium A 335,000 gallon (1. ... Subclasses Sphagnidae Andreaeidae Tetraphidae Polytrichidae Archidiidae Buxbaumiidae Bryidae Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1-10 cm tall, occasionally more. ... Lake Mývatn, with groups of grass-covered pseudocraters. ...

Growth forms

There are four growth forms. One is epilithic (growing on rocks) and is usually found on the shaded side of the rocks. Another growth form lives as free-floating filaments, as small tufts of unattached filaments that frequently form a carpet on the muddy lake bottom. The third growth form is the lake ball proper, where the algae grow into sizeable balls of densely packed algal filaments that radiate from the centre. The balls do not have a kernel of any sort.

A cross section of a marimo colony in Lake Mývatn.

Ecology

Marimo colonies in Lake Akan Hokkaidō and Lake Mývatn Iceland rank among the strangest plant communities on Earth. Their existence depends on the adaptation of the species for low light conditions, combined with the dynamic interaction of wind-induced currents, light regime, lake morphology, bottom substrate and sedimentation. The growth rate of Marimo is about 5 mm per year. In Lake Akan they grow particularly large, up to 20-30 cm (8-12 inches). Mývatn, Iceland, has dense colonies of marimo that grow to about 12 cm in diameter and form well defined patches on the lake floor at depths ranging from 2-2.5 m. The colonies were discovered in 1978 but have shrunk considerably in size since then. The round shape of the marimo is maintained by gentle wave action that occasionally turns it. The balls are green all way round which guarantees that they can photosynthesize no matter which side is turned upwards. Inside, the ball is also green and packed with dormant chloroplasts which become active in matter of hours if the ball breaks apart. The wave action also cleans the balls of detritus. As some colonies have two or even three layers of marimo balls, wave action is needed to tumble them around so each ball reaches the light. The spherical shape has a low surface to volume ratio and is therefore not optimal for a plant. This limits the maximum size of the marimo balls. The regeneration of the lake balls in Mývatn is poorly known. They might grow from tufts detached from rocks in the littoral zone or from fragments of broken balls, which is the case in Lake Akan. Akan National Park (阿寒国立公園) is a national park located on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. ... Hokkaidō   (北海道, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo and Yesso, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conduct photosynthesis. ... Detritus may refer to: In geology, detritus is the name for loose fragments of rock that have been worn away by erosion. ...

Conservation and cultural aspects

Marimo in Lake Akan in Japan

The rapidly declining population of lake balls in Mývatn is of special concern, but for unknown reason some of the main patches have all but vanished in recent years. At Lake Akan a great effort is spent on the conservation of the lake balls. This includes an annual three day marimo festival in which the Ainu people, the indigeneous people of Hokkaidō, play an important part. Because of their appealing appearance the lake balls also serve as a medium for environmental education. They bear a certain likeness to the Earth in being green and round and in their need to rotate in order to receive light on all sides. In Japan the marimo has been a protected species since as early as 1920, defined as a natural treasure. Small balls sold as souvenirs are hand rolled from free-floating filaments. The marimo was given a status of protected species in Iceland in 2006. It is said that taking good care of the plant will make one's wishes come true. Both Lake Mývatn and Lake Akan are protected, the former as a nature reserve, the latter as a National Park. Lake Mývatn, with groups of grass-covered pseudocraters. ... The Ainu IPA: /?ajnu/) are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō and north of HonshÅ« in Northern Japan, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Hokkaidō   (北海道, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo and Yesso, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... A souvenir stall in London, England A souvenir (from the French for memory) is an object that is treasured for the memories associated with it. ... Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, UK A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ...

Care for Domestic Marimo

Tap water is enough for a domestic marimo bought as souvenirs to grow healthily. The water should be changed every one or two weeks, more frequently in summer and less often in winter. The marimo can be placed in the refrigerator if the weather becomes too hot (>25° Celsius), but do not place the marimo in the freezer. The marimo is able to carry out photosynthesis with normal household lightings, otherwise, indirect sunlight is also acceptable, but the marimo should never be placed in direct sunlight since the marimo is adapted for low light conditions only. If the marimo green colour turns brownish, try to leave it alone for a while and see if it recovers, if not, a very minimal amount of salt can be added to the marimo to try to remedy the problem.

Trivia

In the anime & manga One Piece, the Going Merry's cook, Sanji, often calls swordsman Roronoa Zoro "marimo" (in a derogatory manner) because of his fuzzy, green hair. Also in One Piece, there is a henchman to the villain Wapol named Kuromarimo, who uses static afros to attack his opponents. He is named that way because of his afros, which resemble marimo algae. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump Shonen Jump BANZAI! Original run August 4, 1997 – (ongoing) No. ... Sanji ) is a fictional character in the anime and manga One Piece. ... Roronoa Zoro ) also known as Roronoa Zolo , is a fictional character in the anime and manga One Piece. ... Tin-Plate Wapol (ブリキのワポル, Buriki no Waporu) is a character from the anime and manga One Piece. // Wapol was once prince of the region, and succeeded his father (a beloved king by the Drum people) as monarch when his father died. ... An afro, sometimes called a natural or shortened to fro, is a hairstyle in which the hair extends out from the head like a halo or cloud. ...

Also, in the anime Nerima Daikon Brothers, the character Ichiro loves these small balls of Algae. Nerima Daikon Brothers , lit. ...

In the Anime Daa Daa Daa it is revealed during episode 58 that the Character Nanami Tenchi Keeps a pair of Marimo named Aega and Gropila as pets. She presumes them to be female and sisters.

Furthermore, a charismatic creature known as Marimokkori takes the anime form of the marimo algae. Found mainly in souvenir and street stores throughout Hokkaido, this green little character is best known for his impish face and infamous bulge.

References

• Einarsson, A., Stefánsdóttir, G., Jóhannesson, H., Ólafsson, J.S., Gíslason, G.M. Wakana, I., Gudbergsson, G. and Gardarsson, A. 2004. The ecology of Lake Myvatn and the River Laxá: variation in space and time. Aquatic Ecology 38: 317-348.
• Hanyuda, T., Wakana, I., Arai, S., Miyaji, K., Watano, Y. and Ueda, K. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships within Cladophorales (Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta) inferred from 18S rRNA gene sequences, with special reference to Aegagropila linnaei. J. Phycol. 38: 564–71.
• Jonsson, G.S. 1992. Photosynthesis and production of epilithic algal communities in Thingvallavatn. Oikos 64: 222-240.
• Nagasawa, S., Wakana, I. and Nagao, M. 1994. Mathematical characterization of photosynthetic and respiratory property regarding the size of Marimo’s aggregation. Marimo Research 3. 16-25.
• Yokohama, Y., Nagao, M,, Wakana. I. and Yoshida, T. 1994. Photosynthetic and respiratory activity in the inner part of spherical aggregation of “Marimo”. Marimo Research 3: 7-11.
• Yoshida, T., Nagao, M., Wakana, I. and Yokohama, Y. 1994. Photosynthetic and respiratory property in the large size spherical aggregations of “Marimo”. Marimo Research 3: 1-6.
• Yoshida, T., Horiguchi, T., Nagao, M., Wakana, I. and Yokohama, Y. 1998. Ultrastructural study of chloroplasts of inner layer cells of a spherical aggregation of “Marimo” (Chlorophyta) and structural changes seen in organelles after exposing to light. Marimo Research 7: 1-13.
• Wakana, I. 1992. A bibliography relating to “Marimo” and their habitats. Marimo Research 1: 1-12.

External links

• http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~xeno/lakeballs.htm
• http://web-japan.org/atlas/nature/nat15.html
• http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Plant,%20Japanese%20Moss%20Balls.htm
• Photograph of some Marimo