Kelp Lace Bryozoan
Membranipora membranacea
Marine Invertebrates
Kelp and other submerged surfaces
iNaturalist record: Aug 2023
Meet this species
Kelp lace bryozoans are colonial animals that grow across kelp and other submerged surfaces. A single colony may contain many individual zooids living together, creating a fine geometric pattern that is easy to overlook without close inspection. They reveal that even the surface of another organism can become habitat.
Lace-like bryozoan colony growing across submerged kelp near Greene Point.
What to look for:
Look closely at kelp blades for pale or whitish lace-like patches. What appears at first to be a delicate crust or net is actually a colony made up of many tiny individual animals, each living within the larger sheet-like structure.
Why It Matters Here:
This is a perfect "look closer" species for the Greene Point field guide. A kelp blade is not simply vegetation waving in the current - it can support another layer of animal life, adding still more complexity to the nearshore ecosystem.
Field Record
Documented at Greene Point through field observations and photographs recorded on iNaturalist.