Bryozoans

What they are

"Sea Mats"

Morphology

Bryozoans, which mean "moss animals," are tiny colonial organisms. They are typically about 1mm in length, but colonies can grow to lengths of near 2 feet. Bryozoans are encrusting animals, attaching to anything they can get a hold of.

Ecology

Modern bryozoans are found at all latitudes of the earth, and at depths of over 5500m. However, bryozoans are most abundant in shallow, tropical seas.

Bryozoans prefer clear waters, since increased turbidity can clog their apertures. They can withstand some disturbance attributed to waves and currents, but do not flourish in areas where the bottom sediment is shifting. Instead, bryozoans are typically found on rocky bottoms, crevices, and both on and inside of other invertebrate shells. Some colonies can even attach themselves to large seaweed forests.

Bryozoans are filter feeders. They primarily eat plankton, like diatoms and radiolarians.