Trichodesmium erythraeum

Trichodesmium erythraeum is a marine cyanobacteria species characterized by its prolific diazotrophic capabilities. They play a dominant role in the ocean ecosystem, supplying a steady and significant source of new, biologically available nitrogen and cycling phosphorus. By nature of its filamentous morphology, T. erythraeum is also known to congregate into large, long colonies, sizeable enough to be seen as sawdust-like particles to the naked eye and pigmented marine regions in satellite images, typically found in oligotrophic tropical and subtropical waters. These blooms are responsible for the famous coloration of the Red Sea.