59. "Pleuro-Protococcus"

While we have not found any statistics, we are fairly sure that this is among the most dangerous organisms on the property, and indeed the entire west coast.  These slippery films of algae, found mostly in the wet winter months are found on soil, rock, concrete, tree trunks, decks, docks and boardwalks.  The algae species form bright green (when hydrated) films of single-celled algae. The coatings they create can be very slippery indeed, and our guess is they cause more bruised tail-bones, broken bones and falls than any other organisms on the coast.  

 At one time they were all classified as Protococcus, then Pleurococcus, but now its known that a whole suite of algal species are  involved, including algae in the genera Pluerococcus,  Apatococcus, and  Desmococcus.  One of the best studied of these is Apatococcus lobatus, a common biofilm algae on tree trunks.  Interestingly, it is repels water, and hydrates itself only using water vapour. Some of these algae are known as aeroalgae, living their lives as aerial plankton.  By some reckonings, these are the most numerous organisms on the planet.