ANIMALIA / BRYOZOA / GYMNOLAEMATA / CHEILOSTOMATIDA / BUGULIDAE / VIRIDIDENTULA / DENTATA
Virididentula dentata is found in erect colonial form, tiny zooids linked in double rows to form a grey to deep blue bushy colony that is up to 50mm tall that is easily mistaken for a seaweed. When observed closely, individuals zooids are visible, each enclosed in an oval case with an aperture and several prominent spines at the distal end. Specialised protective individuals, termed avicularia and resembling bird heads in shape, project from the sides of the colony (Picker and Griffiths, 2011)
V. dentata has been reported from several localities around Australia- New Guinea continent, Brazil, Cape Verde, Celebes Sea, Hawaii, Japan, Madeira, Mediterranean Sea, South Africa and North America (Picker and Griffiths, 2011; Micael et al., 2016)
V. bentata is distributed from Oudekraal on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula to near Hamburg Nature Reserve on the east coast (Boonzaaier, 2017)
V. dentata grow attached to substrata (Picker and Griffiths, 2011) as well as hard artificial substrata such as ropes, pontoons and buoys (Gillon et al., 2016)
V. dentata are filter feeders (Picker and Griffiths, 2011)
V. dentata release larvae throughout the year but the amount is not constant throughout the year. Less larvae was recorded during autumn months (Micael et al., 2016)
This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations
Occurrence in African countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, or alien in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature.
FSA
SA
BOT
NAM
ESW
LES
WC
EC
NC
FS
GA
KZN
LP
MP
NW
Absent
Indigenous
Endemic
Naturalised
Invasive
Names and Sources
| Common Name | Language |
|---|---|
| Blue Dentate Moss Animal |
Classification
KINGDOM Animalia
PHYLUM Bryozoa
CLASS Gymnolaemata
ORDER Cheilostomatida
FAMILY Bugulidae
GENUS Virididentula
SPECIES dentata
No results found for Virididentula dentata Lamouroux, 1816
Unknown
0 results for Virididentula dentata Lamouroux, 1816
Year
Province
This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations
2011
BOOK
Alien & Invasive Animals: a South African perspectiveGriffiths, C, Picker, M. 2011. Alien & Invasive Animals: a South African perspective. Cape Town. Struik Nature.
2017
JOURNAL ARTICLE
{Diversity and Zoogeography of South African Bryozoa}Boonzaaier, Melissa. 2017. {Diversity and Zoogeography of South African Bryozoa} pp.1–339.
2016
JOURNAL ARTICLE
{Caprella scaura Templeton , 1836 : an invasive caprellid new to the Azores archipelago}Gillon, André, Costa, Ana, Micael, Joana. 2016. {Caprella scaura Templeton , 1836 : an invasive caprellid new to the Azores archipelago} pp.1–12.
2016
JOURNAL ARTICLE
{Some Bryozoa species recently introduced into the Azores : reproductive strategies as a proxy for further spread}Micael, J, Jardim, N, Núñez, C, Occhipinti-Ambrogi, A, Costa, A. 2016. {Some Bryozoa species recently introduced into the Azores : reproductive strategies as a proxy for further spread} Vol. 70 pp.1–10.
