Bryozoa: Moss Animals

You might not have noticed these little guys, but they are everywhere. Bryozoans generally live in large colonies and encrust over rocks & kelp, or grow in branching forms that look like hard coral. Each colony is composed of thousands of tiny creatures called zooids, which live in geometrically- shaped calcified homes. Although many of these species might be superficially similar to sponges or corals, their anatomy is much more sophisticated.

Bryozoans are a favorite food of nudibranchs and snails. They feed on plankton with a specialized ring of tentacles called a lophophore. The best way to get familar with this phylum is to look for the common kelp lace bryozoan (below).

(click on photo to enlarge)
	Lacy bryozoan (Phidolopora pacifica)
	Kelp lace bryozoan (Membranipora serillamella) Most divers overlook this creature because they believe it to be a "disease" on the kelp. The thin, circular sheets found on several species of algae are actually kelp lace bryozoans. Look closely and you will be able to distinguish each individual (or zooid) within the radiating colony.
	Northern staghorn bryozoan (Heteropora pacifica)