scyphistoma

American

[sahy-fis-tuh-muh] / saɪˈfɪs tə mə /

noun

PLURAL

scyphistomae, scyphistomas

a stage in the life cycle of a jellyfish or other scyphozoan when it is fixed in place and reproduces asexually to produce free-swimming medusas.

scyphistoma British

/ saɪˈfɪstəmə /

noun

a sessile hydra-like individual representing the polyp stage of scyphozoans. It produces forms which become free-swimming jellyfish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of scyphistoma

First recorded in 1870–75; scyphi- ( def. ) + stoma ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Strobila, stro-bī′la, n. a discomedusan at the stage succeeding the scyphistoma: a segmented tapeworm.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

Scyphistoma of a Discophore; Aurelia flavidula.

From Project Gutenberg

These three phases of growth, before the relation between them was understood, have been mistaken for distinct animals, and described as such under the names of Scyphistoma, Strobila, and Ephyra.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023