Coenenchyme

/ˌsiːˈɛŋkaɪm/ noun

Definition

The common living tissue connecting the individual members of a colonial organism like corals, allowing nutrient sharing and communication.

Etymology

From Greek 'koinos' (common, shared) + 'enchyma' (tissue). First used in scientific literature in the 1800s to describe the unified tissues in colonial hydroids and corals.

Kelly Says

Imagine if all your organs were connected to your friends' organs so you could all share food and signals—that's basically what coenenchyme does for coral polyps! It's nature's way of making a colony function like a single organism.

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