Fr'phe Seaweed

Fr'phe seaweed, so called because it is found primarily on Fr'phe Islands, is the main diet of the Lie-Detector Turtle. It is also used in traditional Fr'phe medicine to treat headaches, dizziness, and fainting.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Fr'phe seaweed grows in the shallows around the Fr'ohe Islands, where it depends on the constant heat and frequent sun to survive. Due to mixed results in trying to transplant the species, some scientists believe there is also a special nutrient in the soil of the islands which the seaweed depends on, though no one has been able to pinpoint what nutrient this is. Others argue that this is only due to a failure to maintain proper temperatures, as the seaweed will quickly die if its environment becomes too cold.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The seaweed is found primarily on the Fr'phe Islands. Though it has been found on the Bathblast Islands, and similar locations, never in such high quantities. Some scientists have tried to transplant it in the hopes of farming it for larger populations. They have tried to copy the tropical nature of the islands, but have been unable to get the seaweed to grow as well as it does in its natural habitat. It is unclear what about these islands in particular that the seaweed likes, though the islanders often attribute this to the turtles that also make the island home. They say that the plants feed the turtles, the turtles feed the soil, and the soil feeds the plants. More simply stated is the more common Fr'phe phrase: Which came first, the turtle or the seaweed?

Conservation Status

When Fr'phe seaweed was discovered by scientists in other countries, it was discovered that it was high in iron, and soon became a health fad. This resulted in the over-farming of the seaweed, until the Fr'phe government stepped in to protect it. Though it is still farmed in the Fr'phe islands, where islanders follow traditional methods to raise the seaweed and prevent over-farming, it is now very difficult to get outside of the islands themselves.