Found in an artificial lake in the village. At first, when I saw it from far away, I got really scared. Then I walked closer and started examining it carefully, but with no success. I still can’t figure out what it is.
Each tiny zooid possesses a crown of microscopic, hair-like tentacles called a lophophore. They extend these tentacles into the open water to catch suspended organic debris, bacteria, and microscopic algae (phytoplankton). Because a single large mass contains tens of thousands of zooids continuously filtering the water, their presence is actually an excellent indicator of good water quality and a healthy, nutrient-rich aquatic ecosystem. They cannot survive in heavily polluted or chemically toxic waters.
Are They Dangerous?
Despite their intimidating, monstrous appearance, magnificent bryozoans are completely harmless:
- Non-Toxic: They do not secrete toxins, they cannot sting you, and they do not bite. They are completely safe to touch, though they feel exactly like a firm, slippery ball of gelatin.
- No Threat to Swimmers: They do not swim or move on their own; they remain permanently anchored to their submerged surface for their entire lifecycle.
- Winter Lifecycle: These colonies are seasonal. They grow rapidly during the warm summer months and autumn. When winter approaches and the water temperature drops, the colony will naturally break apart and dissolve. Before they disappear, they release tiny, hardy survival pods called statoblasts that settle into the lake mud, waiting to hatch and form brand-new colonies when the water warms up next spring.
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