Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do freshwater bryozoan statoblasts survive winter conditions?
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.
Freshwater bryozoans survive winter conditions through the production of statoblasts, which are specialized dormant buds. These structures are protected by a hard, chitinous (horny) shell that allows them to withstand environmental stressors such as freezing temperatures or drought.12
When the adult bryozoan colony dies in the fall, these resistant statoblasts remain behind. They serve as a means of asexual reproduction, remaining dormant until favorable environmental conditions return, at which point they develop into a new bryozoan colony.21