William M. Frank wrote:
>
> We have an article about this "mutant" variety on our club web pages
> (past newsletter articles).  A prominent member of the scientific
> community has stated emphatically that he is against introducing
> foreign Opisthobranchs (from the Caribbean) to control the problem.
 
Hello!
 
Hi,
 
Caulerpa taxifolia is not a new or mutant variety. It is plain 'ol
Caulerpa taxifolia. It just happens not to be a native to the
Mediterranean area. It is an "exotic" invader of sorts. There is an
article in La Conchiglia Oct 1995 re: Caulerpa taxifolia, native
malacological fauna now living within the Caulerpa "beds" and some
native Sacoglossa that are feeding on the invader. This may negate the
need to import non native Sacoglossa for control as the Mediterranean
ones seem to munch on it (well not really, they suck out the juices and
chloroplasts).
--
Later,
 
Emilio Jorge Power
 
Please visit;
"The Liguus Home Page"
http://pw1.netcom.com/~ejpower/lighompage.html