• Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Bryozoa
  • Class: Gymnolaemata
  • Order: Cheilostomatida
  • Suborder: Neocheilostomatina
  • Infraorder: Ascophora
  • Superfamily: Lepralielloidea
  • Family: Bryocryptellidae
  • Scientific name: Porella compressa
  • Norwegian: korallmosdyr

Characteristics:

This bushy colony has flattened branches, defining a single plane. The colony is hard, like a stony coral. It may grow to a height of 8 cm. The color varies, but different shades of orange are common.

Habitat:

On sheltered locations it can be found on 10 meters depth, but it is far more common below 30 meters. It sits on hard substrate.

Distribution:

It is registered along the Atlantic coasts of Europe, from Norway to Portugal, including the British Isles.