Species description: This bryozoan grows as an erect, dichotomously branching colony made up of individual zooids. It can reach up to around 8 cm in length and has a distinctive purplish brown or red-brown colour. Branches have zooids arranged in double rows with zooids alternating side to side. Zooids are all of one type and lack spines. When present the embryos may be visible and are a paler brown. Brood chambers are whitish, and offset from the midline when present.

Habitat: Attaches to hard substrata in shallow water, especially in harbours and marinas. Also found attached to kelp.

Distribution: First recorded in Northern Ireland in 2013 in Carrickfergus marina. Now known to be present in Carrickfergus marina, Bangor marina, Glenarm marina, Ardglass marina and a few other locations. Seems to be fairly common in southern Britain, with records becoming rarer further north. It seems to be absent from northern Scotland. There are scattered records around Ireland.

Similar Species: Quite a recognisable bryozoan, with a distinctive purple-brown to red-brown colouration.

Key Identification Features:

• Distinctive purple-brown to red brown colouration.
• Bushy, dichotomously branching colony.
• Whitish brood chambers offset from midline.

Distribution Map from NBN: Bugula neritina at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Bugula neritina at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Bugula neritina at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Bugula neritina (Linnaeus, 1758). AphiaID: 111158.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Bryozoa; Gymnolaemata; Cheilostomatida; Flustrina; Buguloidea; Bugulidae; Bugula