Notoplites damicornis Hayward and Ryland, 1978

General description: 

Notoplites damicornis is an erect branched bryozoan. The colony is slender and straggling, approximately 2 cm high. The colony is anchored to the substrate by rootlets. Autozooids are elongated, narrowing at their base. They are typically 0.6 by 0.14 mm, with spines on the distal corners of each autozooid.

The species is able to colonise shells, gravel and coral. It was originally described from depths of 400 – 600 m, and have subsequently been described from abyssal depths in the mid-Atlantic.

Notoplites damicornis is thought to occur mainly on the outer European continental shelf, as well as the mid-Atlantic ridge. It is unlikely to be found in coastal waters.

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