Mazzella:
Mazzella ranges from Alaska to central California and will defiantly catch your eye on the beach.  This red algae can range in color from deep wine red to a  yellow-brown but all will shine iridescently under the sun.  Some species of Mazzella have long thinner blades (up to 20cm long) and others have a wider, stout blade (5cm long).   Blades have an elastic quality if you pull on it.

Chondracanthus:
Chondracanthus – Greek for “spiny” – is a bumpy red algae you will find on many of our local beaches and is know commonly as Turkish towel.  The blades can range from red to yellow-brown and can grow up to 80cm long but most are not this large.  The name Turkish towel fits this red algae because it has been used in bathing just like a loofah.

Filamentous reds:
There are numerous species of filamentous red algae, they are delicate and profusely branched  and often look like clumps of long red moss covering the rocks at low tide.