Cellarinella watersi Calvet, 1909

Species details

Distinguishing Characters

Bright orange, rooted, plate-like bryozoan

Size

up to nearly 30cm in height and 15 cm wide

Reference

Antarctic cheilostomatous bryozoa (1995) Hayward PJ J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 188: 181-198 (1995) Barnes DKA

Species distribution

Distribution info

PanAntarctic

Depth

40m to deep waters

Ecology

Colonies of Cellarinella watersi generally occur in groups of tens to hundreds on continental shelf waters. The Cellarinellids are, all but one, endemic to Antarctica and form great ‘forests’ over parts of the seabed, particularly deeper than 100m. The colonies are thin plates a few mm thick with growth lines obvious representing each years growth. If pieces break off in currents they grow rootlets and re-erect themselves to form new colonies, growing from the fragment. They feed on phytoplankton for about 4/5 months over the summer period when they appear ‘hairy’ underwater from all the tentacles protracting.

Habitat

sediment or stones amongst sediment

Feeding Behaviour

filters plankton from water column