Bryozoa

/ˌbraɪ.əˈzoʊ.ə/ noun

Definition

A phylum of tiny aquatic animals that form branching colonies and filter feed on plankton.

Etymology

From Greek 'bryo-' (moss or growth) plus 'zoa' (animals), literally 'moss animals,' because early scientists thought these colonial creatures looked like tiny plants.

Kelly Says

Bryozoans are a hidden wonder of the ocean—a single colony can contain thousands of tiny animals, each no bigger than a grain of sand, working together like a superorganism, and they've been doing this successfully for over 500 million years.

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