Editing Marimo (section)

{{Short description|Species of algae}}
{{Speciesbox
 | name = Marimo
 | image = Marimo lake akann.jpg
 | image_caption = Marimo in [[Lake Akan]] in Japan
 | image2 = Co je to řasokoule.jpg
 | genus = Aegagropila
 | parent_authority = [[Friedrich Traugott Kützing|Kützing]]
 | species = linnaei
 | authority = Kützing
}}

'''Marimo'''{{efn|From the Japanese {{lang|ja|マリモ}} or {{lang|ja|毬藻}}, literally 'ball seaweed'}} (also known as '''Cladophora ball''', '''moss ball''', '''moss ball pet''', or '''lake ball''') is a rare growth form of '''''Aegagropila linnaei''''' (a species of filamentous [[green algae]]) in which the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance.

The species can be found in a number of lakes and rivers in Japan and [[Northern Europe]].<ref>{{harvnb|Boedeker|Eggert|Immers|Smets|2010}}: [https://academic.oup.com/view-large/figure/94377148/bio.2010.60.3.5-f04.jpeg Figure 4]</ref> Colonies of marimo balls are known to form in [[Japan]] and [[Iceland]], but their population has been declining.<ref name="population-decline">{{Cite journal|last1=Boedeker|first1=Christian|last2=Eggert|first2=Anja|last3=Immers|first3=Anne|last4=Smets|first4=Erik|year=2010|title=Global Decline of and Threats to Aegagropila linnaei, with Special Reference to the Lake Ball Habit|journal=BioScience|volume=60|issue=3|pages=187–198|doi=10.1525/bio.2010.60.3.5|doi-access=free}}</ref>