''Pectinatella magnifica'', the magnificent bryozoan, is a member of the

Bryozoa Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simple, aquatic animal, aquatic invertebrate animals, nearly all living in sedentary Colony (biology), colonies. Typically about long, they have a spe ...

phylum In biology, a phylum (; : phyla) is a level of classification, or taxonomic rank, that is below Kingdom (biology), kingdom and above Class (biology), class. Traditionally, in botany the term division (taxonomy), division has been used instead ...

, in the order Plumatellida. It is a colony of organisms that bind together; these colonies can sometimes be 60 centimeters (2 feet) in diameter. The individual organisms termed zooids feed using a

lophophore The lophophore () is a characteristic feeding organ possessed by four major groups of animals: the Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Hyolitha, and Phoronida, which collectively constitute the protostome group Lophophorata.North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, with some in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. They are often found attached to objects, but can be found free floating as well. They form a translucent body with many star-like blooms along the outside. The density of the organism is similar to that of

gelatin Gelatin or gelatine () is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also be referred to as hydrolyzed collagen, coll ...

, and is easily breakable into smaller chunks.

Gallery

File:Pectinatella magnifica statoblasts (263 23) Statoblast of Pectinatella magnifica, a species of Bryozoa.jpg, Statoblast of ''P. magnifica'' File:Pectinatella magnifica 8568.jpg, Picked up from water File:Мохуватка чудова. 01.jpg, Exemplar caught in Ukraine in the

Dnieper The Dnieper or Dnepr ( ), also called Dnipro ( ), is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Approximately long, with ...

near Kyiv

References

Phylactolaemata Freshwater animals of Europe Freshwater animals of North America Animals described in 1851 Taxa named by Joseph Leidy {{bryozoan-stub