Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The blue button, Porpita porpita (Porpitidae), is a highly integrated colonial animal-i.e., a superorganism. It has multiple genetically identical bodies (zooids) that arise from the same embryo and are functionally specialized for distinct tasks and arranged in precise patterns. Their colonies include a float, coenosarc, gastrozooid (feeding polyp), gonozooids (reproductive polyps), and dactylozooids (tentacle polyp). Colonies are fragile and difficult to culture, leaving much about their development and lifecycle unknown. We provide new insight into colony development of P. porpita with morphological observation and histological analysis using histological sections and micro-CT technology.

Results

From 2019 to 2024, we collected over 267 P. porpita specimens of

SUBMITTER: Oguchi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12183843 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature