Local Distribution and Habitats

As can be seen in the map, Filograna implexa are distributed worldwide (Atlas of Living Australia, 2011).

Map of worldwide distribution of Filograna implexa adapted from Richards, 2008

In relation to local distribution, this species is commonly found throughout Australian waters; from the northern regions of the Great Barrier Reef to the southern reaches of New South Wales  and Victoria (Atlas of Living Australia, 2011).

F. implexa are famous for forming large three dimensional colonies which encrust rocky substratum and often exist epizoically with many living organisms on reef such as bryozoans, corals and encrust the shells of a range of different molluscs (Glasby, 2000).  Furthermore, they have the capacity to occupy sandy habitats of the lower shoreline and the sublittorial zone (Richards, 2008).  Studies have demonstrated that this species is particularly abundant at undisturbed deep water sites (33 - 55m) where they attach directly to pebbles on the ocean floor rather than the crevices and shell interiors where they are commonly found in shallower waters (Collie,2000).