Leather Bryozoan (Flustrellidra corniculata)

Description: Leather bryozoan, sometimes called branched-spine bryozoan or spiny leather bryozoan, is a colonial organism. The leather bryozoan is a tan to dark brown color, and each colony makes up a flat hanging shape that resembles blades of kelp. All around the flat blades of the bryozoan, they have small spines sticking out, giving them a fuzzy appearance. Each blade is often up to 6 cm long.

Habitat: This species is found along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to central California as well as coastlines in northern Europe. Leather bryozoan colonies are often found hanging amongst different kinds of long brown and red kelp in the rocky intertidal, especially near The Needles at Haystack Rock.

Diet: Bryozoans filter feed for detritus particles, microalgae, and bacteria in the water.

Tide Pool Tidbits: 

• While they may be small, each spine on this bryozoan can have 6-8 branches on it!

References: The New Beachcomber’s Guide to the Pacific Northwest by J Duane Sept, Walla Walla University