Distribution
Typical Flustra foliacea habitat © Dorset Seasearch
Flustra foliacea is a cold temperate species whose range does not extend below northern Spain.
Habitat
Flustra is most frequently found in cold water areas on stony grounds which have a stable, fixed substratum and strong currents.
The clumps of Flustra form a rich and diverse microhabitat and support a dense assemblage of motile predators, such as:
- sea urchins
- crabs
- nudibranchs
- pycnogonids
Seven different phyla have been recorded from Flustra (Stebbing, 1971), but the most common epizoites are hydroids and other bryozoans such as Electra pilosa (L).
