Schizoporella dunkeri (Reuss, 1848)

Morphology: 

Schizoporella dunkeri is an encrusting bryozoan that forms extensive spreading sheets, composed of a single, or multiple layers of autozooids. Colonies are reddish to orange in colour. Autozooids are large, very broad and roughly rectangular. They range in size from 0.5-1.0 by 0.35-0.6 mm, and have no oral spines.

Distribution: 

Schizoporella dunkeri is distributed from the Mediterranean northwards to the Isles of Scilly. It is abundant throughout the Adriatic in shallow environments with a high detritus load.

Habitat: 


The species is able to colonise stones and shells. It occurs in subtidal waters and has been recorded from 12-60 metres.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith