HRAP Online Encyclopedia

Bryozoans

Bryozoans, also called moss animals, are a colonial animal made up of hundreds to thousands of individuals. The colony grows by budding - splitting off one part of an individual to grow a whole new individual. Each of these individuals is an encased unit, like a tile in colony mosaic. These tiny invertebrates often grow on kelp or rocks and filter plankton and diatoms out of the water.