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

Cubozoans exist in a polypoid form that develops from a planula larva.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The zygote divides and grows into a planula larva, which looks like a swimming millipede.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Both gametes are produced by the polyp, which can fuse to give rise to a free-swimming planula larva.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The planula larva anchors itself to the sea bottom and grows into a tube-shaped polyp.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

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 "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin