Bugula flabellata

George Brown What species of bryozoan is this Polcera enjoying? Calve Island, Sound of Mull, about 23 metres.

Joanne Porter Hi George. It looks like a small colony of Bugula flabellata

George Brown Sorry Joanne, it's not the Bugula it's the finger like colony that the Bugula is growing on. I should have been more specific.

Joanne Porter I see what you mean now George but do you have a higher mag picture? I can see lophophores but not sure whether its a Ctenostome bryozoan or whether it might be an entoproct of some sort. There are also some hydroid polyps mixed in there! I'm not sure whether we can really get an ID for this without looking at a specimen under the microscope. Sorry I'm can't be more helpful :(

Joanne Porter Great diving in the Menai Strait this last weekend. Does anyone recognise the bryozoan in my photo?

George Brown You are asking us?!! Ah, it's a test. :)

Joanne Porter yes, I'm testing you!!!

George Brown Consulting my new book in a tent pitched in the pouring rain and hampered by a disfuncional headlight and man eating midges, can I guess Bugula flabellata?

Keith Hiscock Did the man enjoy the midges?

Jon Moore Looks like B. flabellata to me too. I know that B. simplex has similarities, but I have never knowingly seen it. Is it easily distinguished on general appearance? Is it really uncommon or do we just not recognise it?

Andrea Waeschenbach Looks like B. flabellata to me, too :-)

George Brown @ Keith, no but the midges enjoyed the man! Wee bastards! I have this theory that if you let them suck your blood they'll fly off and lay eggs. However, and this is the dodgey bit, if you can't stand it any longer and swipe them off, their probosis is left in your skin and that's what causes the itchy bumps that you claw at in bed later that night. It's also a numbers game. When they mass and fly near your tumbler of Glenmorangie they fall straight in, presumably pissed by the fumes. You then have to strain your dram through your teeth. Probably said too much already......

Liz Morris I agree - I'd call it Bugula flabellata. Are we right?

Joanne Porter Yes you are right! It is Bugula flabellata

Erling Svensen I will put out another one of the unknown below. May be this helps, Andrea?

Andrea Waeschenbach I really would not like to say, but maybe this could be Bugula flabellata?

Erling Svensen Do you know Piotr Kulinski (or somethint like that). He is working on Bryozoa and will arrive my home tomorrow from England for diving in the weekend. I will ask him as well.

Andrea Waeschenbach He will definitely be able to help you!

Joanne Porter Piotr Kuklinski is also a member of this group so he should be able to comment.....

Björn Berning That's an interesting one (and a beautiful shot!), it seems like it's actively baffling sediment on the colony surface... Would also be keen to know!

Christian Skauge Hi guys, I was wondering if anyone could say what species or at least genus this might be? I have it down as a Crisia sp. Would be good to know, as I plan to use the image in a book... :-)

Bernard Picton A Bugula?

Christian Skauge Sorry, completely forgot data in my haste to be the first to post here :-) Found off the coast of Haugesund, Norwegian west coast, 31.07.2004. Depth approaching 20 meters as far as I can recall.

Bernard Picton We need Jo Porter to find some helpers, so be patient.

Christian Skauge No rush, they're probably still there :-)

Joanne Porter I'd agree with Bernard, definitely a Bugula.

Bernard Picton I was hoping you'd say which one Jo.

Bernard Picton Need a closer picture?

Christian Skauge I can enlarge if necessary... Hmm genus Bugula... the nudi in question (Diaphorodoris luteocincta) doesn't eat those, apparently... *dammit, must find new image for book*

Bernard Picton It might eat those, never trust anything written in a book.

Bernard Picton Crisia is similar looking, but only a single row of zooids I think? Several sorts here.

Christian Skauge True, they'll probbaly eat anything if hungry enough ;-) But since I'm not dwelving too deep into the biology stuff (I leave that to you!) I'll have to sift through my images to find something that matches my sources... Thanks, this is actually a great help!

Erling Svensen Are you sure that this not might be Securiflustra securifrons? I have a feeling for this one.... ;-)

Liz Morris Looks like Bugula flabellata to me, but I'm no expert. Id be interested to see the answer

Leandro Vieira Looks like Bugula flabellata or Bugula fulva.