Brown Bryozoan

directions_boat This is an invasive or introduced species.

This introduced bryozoan forms maroon to brown branching tufts of around 10 cm on rocky reef and artificial structures. The branches are about a half millimetre in diameter and the zooids are large, at 1 mm in length. Although superficially similar to algae, it is easily identified on close examination. It should be noted however, that the Brown Bryozoan is actually a complex of at least 3 visually identical species, and it is not certain which ones occur in SA.