Barentsia ramosa


Barentsia ramosa is a species of entoproct found throughout the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They are colonial organisms found in depths of up to 70m that primarily feed on phytoplankton filtered out of the water.
Their central calyx holds both the mouth and anus, as well as the gonads, and, in the females, the brood chamber. They reproduce sexually, with reproductive maturity peaking in the colony in the winter. The males develop faster than the females.

Physical description

Barentsia ramosa zooids range from 3 to 30 mm tall, with 1–10 branches off off the base stalk, each terminating in a calyx ringed by 16–22 cilia, or tentacles. These zooids are interconnected at the base through a network of horizontal stolons, forming small colonies anchored to bare rock or to other animals.