| Membranipora membranacea | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||||
| Membranipora membranacea |
Membranipora membranacea ("lacy-crust bryozoan") is a marine species that can be found from Alaska to California coast. This species doesn't have ovicells or avicularia, which are common to most bryozoans.
Membranacea usually have zooecium (tissue) surrounding blind-ended gut, and have a opening on the top of my tissue called operculum, which acts as both anus and mouth. Surrounding this operculum, they have lophophores, which are tentacles that are used to catch nutrients floating in the ocean. This species does not have skeletal system, and their muscles support the whole body (hydrostatic skeletal system).
Membranacea feed on sea planktons and parasites using their tentacles to “catch” them. Since their sizes are too small to have separate respiratory system, they get oxygen they need from water by diffusion. When matured, they will soon produce statoblasts, which are like “babies” to human, and statoblasts will have hooks to cling on to a surface and start to grow in a new colony. Statoblasts are capable of surviving in dry and cold environment, unlike adult stage individuals, and they will form new colonies when they meet environment they have desired.
Most endangering things for Membranacea to grow would be change in pH of the environment, being overloaded with planktons (too many planktons), and ocean pollution.
