Lace Coral

About

An elongated, spiral-looking colony of tiny individual animals (zooids). Bryozoan colonies like this species feed using a circlet of tentacles (lophophore) which filters the water. Most bryozoans are hermaphrodites, either containing separate female and male zooids in the colony, or containing both sexes within the one zooid. Colonies can grow quickly and thus some species can be a pest if they foul hulls of ships or the wooden structures of piers.

A similar species Densipora corrugata

Identification

Commonly seen washed up as white ridged spiral coral like structures on the steams of sea grasses and algae Celleporaria cristata is easier to ID due to its sharp pointed spikes when view closely or zoomed in on. When alive this species is red to brown in colour

Size

Varies

Habitat

Usually anchored to structures, including attached to seagrass.

Distribution

Found around Australia

Gallery

Select any photo or video to view it large with its details and credits.

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Local Sightings

1 recorded sighting in and around the area.

References & citations (2)

1. Patullo, B., 2011, Lace Coral, Celleporaria cristata, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)
2. The Atlas of Living Australia (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)