The Adeonellidae is a family within the bryozoa

Bryozoa

The Bryozoa, also known as Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals, are a phylum of aquatic invertebrate animals. Typically about long, they are filter feeders that sieve food particles out of the water using a retractable lophophore, a "crown" of tentacles lined with cilia...

n order Cheilostomata

Cheilostomata

Cheilostomata, an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata, are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostome colonies are composed of calcium carbonate and grow on a variety of surfaces, including rocks, shells, seagrass and kelps. The colony shapes range from simple encrusting...

. Colonies are often upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have one or more adventitious avicularia

Avicularium

The avicularium in cheilostome bryozoans is a modified, non-feeding zooid. The operculum, which normally closes the orifice when the zooids tentacles are retracted, has been modified to become a mandible. Strong muscles operate it. The polypide is greatly reduced, and the indiviual receives...

 on their frontal wall. Instead of ovicells the adeonids often possess enlarged polymorphs which brood the larva

Larva

A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...

e internally.

The apparent similarity in characters to the family Adeonidae

Adeonidae

The Adeonidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are often upright bilaminar branches or sheets, perforated by large holes in some species . The zooids generally have one or more adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall...

can makes their separation debatable .