Kjellmaniella
| Kjellmaniella | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | SAR |
| Clade: | Stramenopiles |
| Phylum: | Gyrista |
| Subphylum: | Ochrophytina |
| Class: | Phaeophyceae |
| Order: | Laminariales |
| Family: | Laminariaceae |
| Genus: | Kjellmaniella Miyabe, 1902 |
| Species: | K. crassifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Kjellmaniella crassifolia Miyabe, 1902 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Saccharina sculpera C.E. Lane, C. Mayes, Druehl & G.W. Saunders 2006 | |
Kjellmaniella is a monotypic genus of kelp (large brown algae) comprising the species Kjellmaniella crassifolia, known as gagome (ガゴメ/籠目) in Japanese.
It occupies sub-tidal (sublittoral) habitats similar to kombu but in deeper waters, found (anchored to rocky substrates) by its holdfast connected to the stipe. The latter bears undivided blades, as typical for kelp species.
It is characterized by textures appearing on the frond, described as dekoboko (凸凹, paraphrasable as 'bumps and dimples') or "gyrations". The species is found growing in the waters of Japan, Korea Russian Far East (and Sakhalin).
The compounded name gagome kombu (ガゴメコンブ/籠目昆布, 'gagome kelp') was proposed as standard Japanese common name in 2007. This was prompted by reclassification under the Saccharina genus by Lane et al., 2006, though this was later reversed back to Kjellmaniella by Starko et al., 2019, cowritten by Yotsukura. The algae is also known informally as gamo in the seafood market.
The species has received attention in recent years not just for fucoidan content but a more multilateral profile of fucoidan chemicals compared to other seaweeds, and they are now used in dietary supplements, cosmetics, and various processed foods (Cf. § Uses for the particulars).