Anthozooid

/ˌænθoʊˈzoʊɔɪd/ noun

Definition

A individual polyp or feeding individual in a colonial anthozoan organism, like a single polyp in a coral colony.

Etymology

From Greek 'anthos' (flower), 'zoion' (animal), and '-oid' (resembling), literally 'flower-animal-like,' referring to individual units in a colony.

Kelly Says

Coral colonies are like superorganisms made of hundreds of clones—each anthozooid is genetically identical to its neighbors, and they work together like cells in a single body, but each one can still eat independently!

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