Celleporina pygmaea

Look alikes: 

This species is easily confused with Lagenipora lepralioides, which is distinguished from Celleporina pygmaea by its noticeably nodular calcification.

Morphology: 

Celleporina pygmaea is a small encrusting bryozoan that forms white colonies. The species is thickly calcified and develops rounded or lobed patches, rarely exceeding 3-4 mm in diameter. Autozooids are small, oval and convex. They are 0.3-04 by approximately 0.2 mm.

Distribution: 

Celleporina pygmaea is a rarely recorded species that is known from the Faroe Isles, Shetland and western Norway.

Habitat: 

The species is able to colonise stones, shells and the cold-water coral Lophelia, reaching its greatest frequency on small pebbles. It occurs in subtidal water deeper than 50 m.

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