Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Pink Lace Bryozoan Iodictyum phoeniceum
Pink lace bryozoan colonies feel hard and brittle to the touch because the walls of the individual zooids are reinforced with calcareous material. The colony is shaped like curly-edged potato chips with a lacework of small holes. Its beautiful dark pink to purple color remains even after the colony is dead and dried. This species prefers to live in areas with some current, and its holes may help reduce the force of the water against it. Similar species are found on coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
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- Class Cheilostomata
- Size_width Up to 8 in (20 cm)
- Depth 50–130 ft (15–40 m)
- Habitat Rocky reefs
- Distribution Temperate and tropical waters around Australia
