ABSTRACT
Although studies on the bryozoans of the southern region of South America date back more than 150 years and have documented in more than 200 species so far (Moyano 1982, 1999), little is actually known of the bryozoans inhabiting the interior seas of Chiloé, Aysén and Magallanes. However, in the last two decades more information has become available following the collecting activities of Chilean, German and Italian cruises and expeditions to the Magellan Strait and to channels and fjords situated north and south of it (Moyano 1991, 1997, 1999). The results of these activities have allowed us to extend the geographical distributions of many species, initially described from the Falkland and Burdwood Bank areas, up to Cape Horn and Magellan Strait. What has also become apparent is that there is a similarity of bryozoan marine faunas on either side of the southern-most part of South America.
