planula

American  

[plan-yuh-luh] / ˈplæn yə lə /

noun

Zoology.

PLURAL

planulae

1. the ciliate, free-swimming larva of a coelenterate.

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planula British  

/ ˈplænjʊlə /

noun

1. the ciliated free-swimming larva of hydrozoan coelenterates such as the hydra

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planula Scientific  

/ plăn′yə-lə /

PLURAL

planulae

1. The flat, free-swimming, ciliated larva of a cnidarian.

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Other Word Forms

• planular adjective
• planulate adjective

Etymology

Origin of planula

1865–70; < New Latin, diminutive of Latin plānum something flat. See plane ¹, -ule

Example Sentences

I told them about jellyfish life cycles—that jellies start off almost like a plant, clinging to the bottom of the sea, and how in that phase of life, they are a planula.

From Literature

As another illustration I may take the Magosphæra planula, discovered by Haeckel on the coast of Norway.

From Project Gutenberg

The eggs are not always laid in the condition of the simple planula described above.

From Project Gutenberg

The Norwegian Magosphaera planula, swimming about by means of the lashes or cilia at its surface.

From Project Gutenberg

Some said that the original embryonic form of the metazoa was not the gastrula, but the "planula"—a double-walled vesicle with closed cavity and without mouth-aperture; the latter was supposed to pierce through gradually.

From Project Gutenberg