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   Zoobotryon verticillatum (bryozoan)
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    Taxonomic name: Zoobotryon verticillatum (Della Chiaje, 1822)
    Synonyms:
    Common names: spaghetti bryozoan
    Organism type: bryozoan
    Zoobotryon verticillatum is a stoloniferous fouling organism found in many temperate and warm waters around the world, it is commonly found on boat hulls, which may explain its current worldwide distribution. This bryozoan has been recorded as an invasive alien species in many places all over the world, causing ecological and economical damages.
    Description
    Zoobotryon verticillatum is a stoloniferous fouling organism that grows in the form of irregularly-branched translucent colonies which can attain lengths exceeding one meter (Hayes et al., 2005; Hill, 2001).
    Occurs in:
    marine habitats
    Habitat description
    Zoobotryon verticillatum is found in temperate and warm waters, fouling on any hard subtidal surface. Optimal growth at temperatures above 22 °C (Bullivant, 1967 in Winston, 1995; Elkhorn Slough Research, 2002; Fox, 2001; Hill, 2001).
    General impacts
    Zoobotryon verticillatum can have ecological and economical impacts due to its capacity to expand in an aggressive way (Gossett et al., 2004): it has been reported to cause the collapse of eelgrass cover when proliferating in summer (Williams, 2007). It can also (i) affect navigation when fouling on submerged structures; (ii) cause clogs in industrial seawater pipes (Fox, 2001) and; (iii) affect fishing by fouling on fishing gear (Elkhorn Slough Research, 2002).
    Uses
    Because of it’s impressive suspension-feeding, Zoobotryon verticillatum is considered to play a key role in maintaining good water quality in the Indian River Lagoon (Bullivant, 1968; Hill, 2001; Robinson 2001; Winston, 1995).
    Notes
    In the Galveston Bay Invasive Species Risk Assessment (Gossett et al., 2004), Zoobotryon verticillatum accumulated the greatest number of points of ‘‘risk criteria”, however, it received the lowest score on the scale of control feasibility.
    Z. verticillatum produces secondary metabolites that prevent its predation, limit settlement of organisms and protect it from viral or bacterial infection. Only a few nudibranch species, namely Okenia zoobotryon, are known to directly feed upon Z. verticillatum (Hill, 2001; Robinson, 2001; Winston, 1995).
    Geographical range
    Zoobotryon verticillatum has a worldwide distribution, probably due to its primary vector of translocation: hull fouling (Fox, 2001). Recorded as an invasive alien species in many places all over the world, such as the United States (Gossett et al., 2004), Australia (Hayes et al., 2005) and Seychelles (Ikin and Dogley, 2005).
    Management information
    Preventative measures: In the Galveston Bay Invasive Species Risk Assessment (Gossett et al., 2004), Zoobotryon verticillatum accumulated the greatest number of points of ‘‘risk criteria”, however, it received the lowest score on the scale of control feasibility.
    In a study (Hayes et al 2005) designed to identify and rank introduced marine species found within Australian waters (potential domestic target species) and those that are not found within Australian waters (potential international target species), Z. verticillatum was ranked as a 'Low priority species'- these species have a low impact potential and a low invasion potential relative to the other domestic non-native species identified here.
    Nutrition
    Zoobotryon verticillatum is a suspension feeder - between 25,000 and 344,000 L of water day-1 m-2. Each individual zooid in a colony has 8 ciliated tentacles that are extended to filter phytoplankton (Bullivant, 1968; Hill, 2001).
    Reproduction
    Asexual reproduction, via fragmentation is thought to be an important reproductive strategy for Zoobotryon verticillatum. Sexual reproduction may occur very infrequently, environmental temperature beeing the major influence on larval production. (Robinson, 2001)
    Compiled by: Jaen Nieto Amat, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores Portugal
    Last Modified: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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