Cyathozooid

/ˌsaɪəθoʊˈzoʊɔɪd/ noun

Definition

A specialized, cup-shaped individual polyp or zooid within a colonial organism like a bryozoan or hydroid.

Etymology

Combines Greek kyathos (cup) with zooid from zoon (animal) and -oid (resembling), used in invertebrate zoology to describe individual feeding animals within colonies.

Kelly Says

Bryozoans are basically apartment buildings made of thousands of tiny animals living together—each unit is a cyathozooid, and they work together like roommates sharing filtering duties to feed the whole colony!

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