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Sculptures by Phyllis Bone

CLASS ANTHOZOA


Sea Anemones and corals occur only as polyps with very simple life cycles. Fertilised eggs usually develop into motile ciliated planula, which settle and grow into adult polyps. These polyps differ from hydrozoan and scyphozoan polyps - their gastrovascular cavities are divided into radial compartments by flaps of the inner body wall called mesenteries. There are two subclasses.


OCTOCORALLIA ZOOANTHERIA