A Caribbean census I dug up, described your alga as a frequent consort to the common seagrasses (Thalassia, Syringodium, Halodule, etc.), so it is not a true reef alga, preferring sand/mud flats exposed to fairly robust wave energy. The nutrient levels in such environs are generally much higher than on reef crests.
It's a good thing you included the scientific name: there are other Penicillus algae, all of them sometimes referred to as the Merman's Shaving Brush. P. dumetosus is differentiated by the quaint common epithet "bristle-and-ball brush" alga, containing a reference to the bladder-like structure it forms.
Hope this helps,
horge
[This message has been edited by horge (edited 08-07-2000).]
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