{{Short description|Family of moss animals}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossil range|235|0}} | image = Cellepora pumicosa.jpg | image_alt = "Cellepora pumicosa" photographed at Sula Sgeir, Scotland | image_caption = ''Cellepora pumicosa'' photographed at Sula Sgeir, Scotland | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Celleporidae | authority = Johnston, 1838 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = See text | synonyms = Torquatellidae <small>Tilbrook, 2006</small> }}
'''Celleporidae''' is a family of bryozoans – colonial, aquatic, invertebrates – in the order Cheilostomatida. Structurally, they are defined by densely packed zooids (individual animals which make up the colony). The zooids usually have irregular direction, and are defined by morphological characteristics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=López Gappa |first1=Juan |last2=Liuzzi |first2=María G. |date=2008 |title=A new Antarctic Osthimosia (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata, Celleporidae) with dimorphic zooids |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00300-008-0501-5 |journal=Polar Biology |language=en |volume=32 |issue=1 |pages=47–51 |doi=10.1007/s00300-008-0501-5 |issn=0722-4060|hdl=11336/103444 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Masses of the dead animals can form shallow sediments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celleporidae Johnston 1838 - Encyclopedia of Life |url=https://eol.org/pages/2076 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=eol.org}}</ref> Members of the family are recorded from every ocean, even around Antarctica, where they are represented primarily by the genus ''Osthimosia.''<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Celleporidae |url=https://www.gbif.org/species/2110 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=www.gbif.org |language=en}}</ref> Fossils of the family exist as old as from 235 million years ago, during the Triassic period.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fossilworks: Celleporidae |url=http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?last_taxon=%25%25taxon_no%25%25&quick_search=Celleporidae&action=quickSearch |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Paleobiology Database}}</ref>
==Genera== {{Div col}} *''Buffonellaria'' *''Buskea'' *''Calvipelta'' *''Cellepora'' *''Celleporina'' *''Chasmatooecium'' *''Chasmazoon'' *''Galeopsis'' *''Lagenipora'' *''Omalosecosa'' *''Orthoporidroides'' *''Osthimosia'' *''Palmicellaria'' *''Pourtalesella'' *''Predanophora'' *''Pseudocelleporina'' *''Richbunea'' *''Scorpiodinipora'' *''Sinuporina'' *''Spigaleos'' *''Tegminula'' *''Turbicellepora'' {{Div col end}}
==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L3g7AQAAIAAJ&dq=%22Celleporidae%22&pg=RA2-PA71 |title=Bulletin |date=1916 |pages=71–74}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q2907375}}
Category:Cheilostomatida Category:Bryozoa families Category:Extant Eocene first appearances
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