Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do brood chambers protect developing bryozoan embryos?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
moss animal
Eurystomella bilabiata, a moss animal from the Order Cheilostomata.
In many bryozoans, developing embryos are protected within specialized structures known as ovicells. An ovicell functions as a brood pouch, which is a dilatation of the zooecium (the protective outer skeleton of the zooid). By providing this enclosed space, the colony offers a secure environment for the embryos to develop before they are released as swimming larvae.12