Bryozoans of Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Southeast Coast of India

Bryozoans are widely distributed taxa. They are colonial invertebrates, filter feeding and normally found adhered to a substratum as encrusting or erect forms. These are aquatic animals inhabiting both fresh and marine waters. Bryozoans are found commonly in high diversities and greater abundance in most of the shallow water regions worldwide (Gordon, 1986). These are also one of the commonest fowlers found be attached to ship hulls and other substrates which is submerged in water including floating buoys and nets etc. (Tilbrook, 2006).