Description: This bryozoan forms extensive red-orange encrusting colonies made up of individual zooids. The zooids are four sided and have a broad operculum with a distinctive shelf on the outer rim and tooth-like projections on the inner rim. Zooids have got 6 large spines around their orifice. In more mature zooids the frontal wall is calcified with irregular sized nodules, giving a granular appearance, while younger zooids have pores around the margin. They have paired avicularia, one on each side of the orifice. In parts of the colony where reproduction is occurring zooids may have large, granular ovicells. One of the avicularia may be absent in these zooids.

Habitat: Rocky shores on hard substrata or on Laminaria holdfasts, or under boulders. Lower shore to shallow subtidal.

Distribution: Found on all coasts around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: There are several other orange-coloured encrusting bryozoans that could be confused with this species. A small sample may need to be collected and examined under a microscope.

Key Identification Features:

• Red-orange colony made up of individual zooids.
• 6 large spines around each orifice.
• Paired avicularia, except in zooids with ovicells.
• Mature zooids have granular appearance, younger zooids are surrounded by pores.

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

iNaturalist: Escharoides coccinea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Escharoides coccinea

WoRMS: Escharoides coccinea at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Escharoides coccinea (Abildgaard, 1806). AphiaID: 111498.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Bryozoa; Gymnolaemata; Cheilostomatida; Flustrina; Lepralielloidea; Exochellidae; Escharoides