phylum (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes
metazoa,
subkingdom metazoa multicellular animals having cells differentiated into tissues and organs and usually a digestive cavity and nervous system
cnidarian,
coelenterate radially symmetrical animals having saclike bodies with only one opening and tentacles with stinging structures; they occur in polyp and medusa forms
polyp one of two forms that coelenterates take (e.g. a hydra or coral): usually sedentary with a hollow cylindrical body usually with a ring of tentacles around the mouth; "in some species of coelenterate, polyps are a phase in the life cycle that alternates with a medusoid phase"
medusan,
medusoid,
medusa one of two forms that coelenterates take: it is the free-swimming sexual phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate; in this phase it has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles
class scyphozoa,
scyphozoa coelenterates in which the polyp stage is absent or at least inconspicuous: jellyfishes
jellyfish any of numerous usually marine and free-swimming coelenterates that constitute the sexually reproductive forms of hydrozoans and scyphozoans
class hydrozoa,
hydrozoa coelenterates typically having alternation of generations; hydroid phase is usually colonial giving rise to the medusoid phase by budding: hydras and jellyfishes
