BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Conopeum reticulum
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Dr Harvey Tyler-Walters & Susie Ballerstedt	Data supplied by	MarLIN
Refereed by	Dr Peter J. Hayward
General Biology
Growth form	Crustose hard	Feeding method	Active suspension feeder
Mobility/Movement	Permanent attachment	Environmental position	Epifaunal Epibenthic Epilithic
Typical food types	Phytoplankton (<50µm), macroalgal spores, detritus, and bacteria.	Habit	Attached
Bioturbator	Not relevant	Flexibility	None (< 10 degrees)
Fragility	Fragile	Size	Small-medium(3-10cm)
Height	Insufficient information	Growth Rate	See additional information
Adult dispersal potential	None	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Colonial
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
General Biology Additional Information	Growth rates Growth, measured in zooid number, in Conopeum reticulum is exponential (Menon, 1972). Growth rates in bryozoans have been shown to vary with environmental conditions, especially, food supply, temperature, competition for food and space, and genotype. For example, although growth rates increased with temperature, zooid size decreased, which may be due to increased metabolic costs at higher temperature (Menon, 1972; Ryland, 1976; Hunter & Hughes, 1994). Menon (1972) reported that in culture, growth in Conopeum reticulum reached a plateau after about 30 days and that the growth rate had significantly reduced at the end of 6 months. In his experiments Conopeum reticulum colonies grew to ca 1000 zooids within ca 28 days at 12 °C and ca 18 days at 22 °C, although these rates were slower than under natural conditions (Menon, 1972). Feeding rates also varied with respect to temperature (Menon, 1974). Feeding The structure and function of the bryozoan lophophore was reviewed by Ryland (1976), Winston (1977) and Hayward & Ryland (1998). Ambient water flow is important for bringing food bearing water within range of the colonies own pumping ability (McKinney, 1986). Best & Thorpe (1994) suggested that intertidal Bryozoa would probably be able to feed on small flagellates, bacteria, algal spores and small pieces of abraded macroalgae.
Biology References	Hayward & Ryland, 1998, Ryland, 1970, Ryland, 1976, Winston, 1977, Best & Thorpe, 1994, Menon, 1972, Hunter & Hughes, 1994, Menon, 1974, Ryland, 1967,