What is AlgaeBase?
AlgaeBase is a database of information on algae that includes terrestrial, marine and freshwater organisms. At present, the data for the marine algae, particularly seaweeds, are the most complete. For convenience, we have included the sea-grasses even though they are flowering plants.

Limitations
AlgaeBase is often a compromise of taxonomic opinions that may or may not reflect your particular conclusions. It is also a work in progress, and much of the data is incomplete. Feel free to use the information and images included here, but do please cite AlgaeBase in your publications or presentations. This helps to raise money in order to maintain the service. Please also realise that AlgaeBase is made available in its incomplete form and is purely meant as a aid to taxonomic studies and not a definitive source in its own right. You should always check the information included prior to use.

Contributors
Many organisations and people have, funded supported and contributed to AlgaeBase since its small beginnings on 20 March 1996. A full list is here.

Further information
The PDFs below give further information on AlgaeBase and SeaweedAfrica

• Nic Dhonncha & Guiry 2002, Proc. R. Ir. Acad., Vol. 102B: 185-188
• Guiry 2005 AlgaeBase - listing the world's algae. The Irish Scientist 2005 Year Book, pp. 75-76
• Guiry & Nash 2005. Algae, carrageenans and SeaweedAfrica. The Irish Scientist 2005 Year Book, p. 76
• Letter from D.J. Patterson to Nature Vol. 422, p. 661 mentioning AlgaeBase.

The data are stored in an MySQL 4.1 database and served up via Lasso 8.5 from a dual-processor Mac Xserve with 8 Gb of memory. Network facilities and a most helpful service are provided by the National University of Ireland Computer Services department.

Programming
Programming is by Pier Kuipers (Visual ID, Ireland), Jonathan Guthrie (xServe, New Zealand), and Michael Guiry (Martin Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, Ireland).

Funding and sponsorship
AlgaeBase was funded 2002-2005 by the Higher Education Authority, Ireland, under the Priority Research for Third-level Insitutions Programme Cycle 3, and by the European Union as the SeaweedAfrica project (2002-2005, INCO-DEV Contract ICA4-CT2001-10030). Two companies kindly subvent AlgaeBase annually: Degussa Food Ingredients/BL Texturant Systems and Acadian Seaplants Limited, Canada.

Bookmarking
Please bookmark www.algaebase.ORG rather than www.algaebase.COM. The latter unfortunately leads to a site that has nothing to do with us run by a particularly nasty little company which specialises in acquiring names.

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite AlgaeBase as: Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2008. AlgaeBase version 4.2. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 14 May 2008.

Acknowledgements
Many people at NUI, Galway contributed to AlgaeBase. In particular, Ms Eilís Nic Dhonnacha in the period 1996-97 and 1999-2005; Dr Fabio Rindi (1999-2006), Dr Robert Wilkes, Mr Andy Taylor, Dr Róisín Nash and Ms Liz Moran, who spent many hours entering data. We are very grateful to all of them.

Statistics
Click here to view the grouped country access statistics.