Scyphozoa
/ˌsʌɪfəˈzəʊə
/ /ˌskʌɪfəˈzəʊə/ /ˌskɪfəˈzəʊə/plural noun Zoology
A class of marine coelenterates which comprises the jellyfishes.The phylum has traditionally been divided into four classes (Anthozoa, Scyphozoa, Hydrozoa and Cubozoa) distinguished by variation in these life cycle characteristics....
- Fission is typical in many anthozoans as well as in Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa, so it is reasonable to hypothesize that the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved may be similar among all cnidarians.
- The groups Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa and Cubozoa all are generally characterized as having polyps and medusae (although minor lineages have lost medusae and in some cases polyps).
Derivatives
scyphozoan
- Sphenothallus Hall, 1847 is a widespread Paleozoic marine taxon that has been interpreted most recently as a tubiculous annelid or other ‘worm’ or as a thecate hydrozoan or scyphozoan cnidarian.
- Moore and Harrington regarded Sphenothallus as a hydrozoan or scyphozoan.
- As mentioned above, a few tetraradial ‘medusoids’ could be scyphozoan jellyfish, but tetraradial symmetry is also typical of the Hydrozoa and Cubozoa.
Origin
Modern Latin (plural), from Greek skuphos 'drinking cup' + Greek zōion 'animal'.