Flustra foliacea
Encyclopedia
Flustra foliacea is a species of bryozoa
n found in the northern Atlantic Ocean
. It is a colonial animal
that is frequently mistaken for a seaweed
. Colonies begin as encrusting mats, and only produce loose fronds after their first year of growth. They may reach 20 cm (8 in) long, and smell like lemon
s. Its microscopic structure was examined by Robert Hooke
and illustrated in his 1665 work Micrographia
.
published observations of various organisms and materials made with an early microscope
. It was first given a binomial name in 1758, when Carl Linnaeus included it in the 10th edition
of his as Eschara foliacea. In later publications, Linnaeus divided bryozoans into more than one genus, and so the species came to be called Flustra foliacea. It is the type species
of the genus Flustra.
, but is actually a colony
of animals. The frond
s can reach a height of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) and have rounded ends. They have a strong aroma of lemon
s. It differs from the superficially similar Securiflustra securifrons by the tendency of the frond branches to become markedly wider towards the tip. Each zooid
is roughly rectangular, with 4–5 short spines at the distal end and 13–14 tentacle
s around the lophophore
.
in the north Atlantic Ocean
, on both the European and American sides. It is restricted to colder sublittoral waters, and reaches its southern limit in northern Spain
.
The fronds of Flustra foliacea are often used by other animals as a substrate to live on. Such epibiont
s include other bryozoa such as Crista eburnea, hydroids
, sessile polychaete worms
and the porcelain crab
Pisidia longicornis
. Other animals feed on F. foliacea, including the sea urchin
s Echinus esculentus and Psammechinus miliaris
and the nudibranch
Crimora papillata; the pycnogonid Achelia echinata feeds preferentially on F. foliacea.
s and are visible from October to February. The larva
e are released in spring and, after a short period, settle to the substrate. For the first year, colonies grow only along the surface (encrusting), with loose fronds only being formed in subsequent years. These are produced when two encrusting colonies meet, and the two edges that make contact begin to grow upwards, back to back. The total lifespan of a colony may reach 12 years. It is frequently found washed up on beach
es after storm
s.
Bryozoa
The Bryozoa, also known as Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals, are a phylum of aquatic invertebrate animals. Typically about long, they are filter feeders that sieve food particles out of the water using a retractable lophophore, a "crown" of tentacles lined with cilia...
n found in the northern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. It is a colonial animal
Colony (biology)
In biology, a colony reference to several individual organisms of the same species living closely together, usually for mutual benefit, such as stronger defense or the ability to attack bigger prey. Some insects live only in colonies...
that is frequently mistaken for a seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
. Colonies begin as encrusting mats, and only produce loose fronds after their first year of growth. They may reach 20 cm (8 in) long, and smell like lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
s. Its microscopic structure was examined by Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke FRS was an English natural philosopher, architect and polymath.His adult life comprised three distinct periods: as a scientific inquirer lacking money; achieving great wealth and standing through his reputation for hard work and scrupulous honesty following the great fire of 1666, but...
and illustrated in his 1665 work Micrographia
Micrographia
Micrographia is a historic book by Robert Hooke, detailing the then thirty year-old Hooke's observations through various lenses. Published in September 1665, the first major publication of the Royal Society, it was the first scientific best-seller, inspiring a wide public interest in the new...
.
Taxonomic history
Flustra foliacea was studied as early as 1665, when Robert HookeRobert Hooke
Robert Hooke FRS was an English natural philosopher, architect and polymath.His adult life comprised three distinct periods: as a scientific inquirer lacking money; achieving great wealth and standing through his reputation for hard work and scrupulous honesty following the great fire of 1666, but...
published observations of various organisms and materials made with an early microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
. It was first given a binomial name in 1758, when Carl Linnaeus included it in the 10th edition
10th edition of Systema Naturae
The 10th edition of Systema Naturae was a book written by Carl Linnaeus and published in two volumes in 1758 and 1759, which marks the starting point of zoological nomenclature...
of his as Eschara foliacea. In later publications, Linnaeus divided bryozoans into more than one genus, and so the species came to be called Flustra foliacea. It is the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
of the genus Flustra.
Description
Flustra foliacea is often mistaken for a seaweedSeaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
, but is actually a colony
Colony (biology)
In biology, a colony reference to several individual organisms of the same species living closely together, usually for mutual benefit, such as stronger defense or the ability to attack bigger prey. Some insects live only in colonies...
of animals. The frond
Frond
The term frond refers to a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group...
s can reach a height of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) and have rounded ends. They have a strong aroma of lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
s. It differs from the superficially similar Securiflustra securifrons by the tendency of the frond branches to become markedly wider towards the tip. Each zooid
Zooid
A zooid or zoöid is a single animal that is part of a colonial animal. The zooids can either be directly connected by tissue or share a common exoskeleton...
is roughly rectangular, with 4–5 short spines at the distal end and 13–14 tentacle
Tentacle
A tentacle or bothrium is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. The term may also refer to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous plants. Usually, tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping. Anatomically, they work like...
s around the lophophore
Lophophore
The lophophore is a characteristic feeding organ possessed by four major groups of animals: the Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Entoprocta, and Phoronida. All lophophores are found in aquatic organisms.-Characteristics:...
.
Distribution and ecology
Flustra foliacea has a wide distributionRange (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
in the north Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, on both the European and American sides. It is restricted to colder sublittoral waters, and reaches its southern limit in northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The fronds of Flustra foliacea are often used by other animals as a substrate to live on. Such epibiont
Epibiont
An epibiont is an organism that lives on the surface of another living organism. An epibiont is usually considered harmless to the host; in this sense, the relationship between the two organisms can be considered neutralistic or commensalistic. Typical epibionts are barnacles, remoras, and algae,...
s include other bryozoa such as Crista eburnea, hydroids
Hydrozoa
Hydrozoa are a taxonomic class of very small, predatory animals which can be solitary or colonial and which mostly live in saltwater. A few genera within this class live in freshwater...
, sessile polychaete worms
Polychaete
The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of annelid worms, generally marine. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. Indeed, polychaetes are sometimes referred to as bristle worms. More than 10,000...
and the porcelain crab
Porcelain crab
Porcelain crabs are decapod crustaceans in the widespread family Porcellanidae, which superficially resemble true crabs. They are typically less than wide, and have flattened bodies as an adaptation for living in rock crevices...
Pisidia longicornis
Pisidia longicornis
Pisidia longicornis, the long-clawed porcelain crab, is a species of porcelain crab that lives in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean. It varies from reddish to white, and grows to a carapace width of . It was first named by Carl Linnaeus in 1767, although the etymology remains...
. Other animals feed on F. foliacea, including the sea urchin
Sea urchin
Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...
s Echinus esculentus and Psammechinus miliaris
Psammechinus miliaris
Psammechinus miliaris is a species of sea urchin in the family Parechinidae. It is sometimes known as the green sea urchin or shore sea urchin. It is found in shallow areas of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.-Description:...
and the nudibranch
Nudibranch
A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms...
Crimora papillata; the pycnogonid Achelia echinata feeds preferentially on F. foliacea.
Life cycle
Flustra foliacea colonies only grow in spring and summer, which can result in visible annual growth rings. Breeding occurs between separate male and female zooids within the colony in autumn and winter. The cells produce outgrowths known as ovicells, which contain embryoEmbryo
An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
s and are visible from October to February. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e are released in spring and, after a short period, settle to the substrate. For the first year, colonies grow only along the surface (encrusting), with loose fronds only being formed in subsequent years. These are produced when two encrusting colonies meet, and the two edges that make contact begin to grow upwards, back to back. The total lifespan of a colony may reach 12 years. It is frequently found washed up on beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es after storm
Storm
A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather...
s.