Escharella immersa (Fleming, 1828)

Morphology: 

Escharella immersa is an encrusting bryozoan. Colonies form extensive white to grey thin sheets, with a flat uniform surface. Autozooids are oval, hexagonal or with an irregular outline. They are short and broad, typically 0.2-0.3 by 0.3-0.4 mm, with six spines. 

Distribution: 

Escharella immersa is a cold water, boreal-arctic species that is known form numerous north Atlantic locations, but does not seem to range further south than Britain. Within the British Isles, it is widespread and abundant off all coasts, extending south to the Scilly Isles.

Habitat: 

The species is able to colonise hard substrates (stones and shells) and occasionally the holdfasts of Laminaria kelp. It ranges from the lower shore into subtidal waters, becoming rare beyond 100 m. Escharella immersa is frequently found on offshore shell banks in association with Escharella ventricosa and Escharella variolosa. It has been recorded from brackish environments in the Bay of Fundy and the Baltic Sea.

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