General · 1 August 2026
Pink zebra seaweed finally confirmed as new species after 40-year search
Photo by Derek Keats on Pexels
Professor Christine Maggs' discovery ends a four-decade quest to identify the elusive seaweed. Researchers in Cornwall found a sample two years ago, which Maggs kept in a wine fridge for DNA sequencing. The new species, ceramium ruenessianum, joins the Natural History Museum's collection and highlights the importance of protecting maerl beds.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs