zooid
/ˈzoʊ.ɔɪd/
noun
- An individual animal that is part of a colony of animals, such as a coral polyp or a bryozoan.
- In a siphonophore, each zooid is specialized for a different function, such as swimming or stinging.
- Each tiny zooid in the coral colony has a specific job, like feeding or reproduction.
- The scientist studied how a single zooid can detach and start a new colony.