Cnidaria (Noun)
Meaning
Hydras; polyps; jellyfishes; sea anemones; corals.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Cnidarians are ancient and diverse marine animals, which include simple polyps, mobile medusae, or both, such as jellyfishes and sea anemones.
- All cnidarians have stinging cells called cnidocytes in their tissues, but hydras are also able to regenerate lost body parts.
- Cnidarians, such as jellyfishes and corals, have only two tissue layers - an outer epidermis and an inner gastrodermis.
- The basic body form of most cnidarians, including sea anemones and hydras, is that of a gastrula, an animal with a single opening to the digestive cavity.
- Classifications of cnidarians also include the coral polyps, soft-bodied members that can create reefs or become tiny plants or animal flowers attached to sea surfaces.