Planula (Noun)
Meaning
The flat ciliated free-swimming larva of hydrozoan coelenterates.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The planula stage is a critical part of a coral's development as it settles on a reef before metamorphosing into a polyp.
- Scientists have discovered that planulae of certain coelenterate species exhibit complex behaviors despite their relatively simple nervous systems.
- The mother's investment in the planula's development impacts the likelihood of the larva's successful attachment and metamorphosis into a polyp.
- Researchers track the planulae movement in ocean currents to better understand how coral reefs become established.
- Hydrozoan planulae undergo a dramatic transformation when transitioning from their larval stage to an adult polyp within the colony.