Thong weed (Himanthalia elongata)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF.
Last updated
Valerovi4 · via Wikipedia: Himanthalia elongata · CC BY-SA 4.0
Thong weed (Himanthalia elongata) is a marine species in the family Himanthaliaceae (Ochrophyta › Phaeophyceae › Fucales), recorded in the World Register of Marine Species as Himanthalia elongata (Linnaeus) S.F.Gray, 1821 under AphiaID 145551.
Scientific classification
- CladeEukaryota
- CladeSar<!-- Do not change Sar to SAR. The consensus was to use Sar in the taxonomy template. -->
- CladeStramenopiles
- ClassPhaeophyceae
- OrderFucales
- FamilyHimanthaliaceae
- GenusHimanthalia
- SpeciesHimanthalia elongata
Named by (Linnaeus) S.F. Gray
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Himanthalia elongata (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 145551 (CC BY 4.0)
Where the thong weed (himanthalia elongata) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (12,594 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 96 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Quick Facts
- Scientific name
- Himanthalia elongata
- Authority
- (Linnaeus) S.F.Gray, 1821
- Family
- Himanthaliaceae
- Order
- Fucales
- Habitat zone
- sessile
- Gbif occurrence records
- 12,594
Facts from the source article.
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Chromista · Phylum: Ochrophyta · Class: Phaeophyceae · Order: Fucales · Family: Himanthaliaceae · Genus: Himanthalia.
Accepted name: Himanthalia elongata · Authority: (Linnaeus) S.F.Gray, 1821 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 145551.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Fucus elongatus Linnaeus, 1753; Fucus loreus Linnaeus, 1767; Fucus pruniformis Gunnerus, 1772; Funicularius tuberculatus Roussel, 1806; Himanthalia elongata var. ß inequalis S.F.Gray, 1821; Himanthalia lorea (Linnaeus) Lyngbye, 1819; Ulva tomentosa (Hudson) De Candolle, 1805.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=145551 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Himanthalia elongata. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Habitat zone: sessile.
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 120977) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Himanthalia-elongata.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
12,594 georeferenced occurrence records for Himanthalia elongata are published through GBIF from 19 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 141 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 127 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (4,346); France (2,841); Netherlands (1,604); Ireland (1,208); Belgium (805).
The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 3197836) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=3197836&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=145551 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Related in Thong weed
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in Thong weed
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Himanthalia elongata (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: SeaLifeBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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