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Polymorphism

Polymorphism in coelenterates refers to the existence of different types of individuals or zooids within a single species, allowing for a division of labor among members. Coelenterates exhibit various patterns of polymorphism, particularly in Hydrozoa and Siphonophora, where different zooids serve distinct functions such as feeding, defense, and reproduction. The phenomenon is significant as it enhances efficiency in the colony's survival and reproduction, with complex life cycles involving both polyp and medusa forms.

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48 views11 pages

Polymorphism

Polymorphism in coelenterates refers to the existence of different types of individuals or zooids within a single species, allowing for a division of labor among members. Coelenterates exhibit various patterns of polymorphism, particularly in Hydrozoa and Siphonophora, where different zooids serve distinct functions such as feeding, defense, and reproduction. The phenomenon is significant as it enhances efficiency in the colony's survival and reproduction, with complex life cycles involving both polyp and medusa forms.

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Polymorphism in Coelenterates

By
ABID HUSSAIN BHAT
CSIR JRF, GATE, IISc, IELTS
Ph.D. Zoology
University of Kashmir
Introduction
 Polymorphism (Gr., poly = many; morphe = form) is the
occurrence of several different types of individuals or zooids in a
single species during its life cycle or as members of the colony,
the members perform different functions so that there is a division
of labour amongst the members.
 Coelenterata are noted for their polymorphism.
 Representation of a single organism by more than one kind of
individuals or zooids which differ in their form and function.
Patterns of Polymorphism
 Most Hydrozoa exhibit
dimorphism, there is a nutritive
polyp or gastrozooid which is
sessile, it has a mouth, tentacles
and an enteron cavity for food.
 The second individual is a medusa which
is jelly-like, saucer-shaped, with tentacles
on the margin, it is free-swimming and
bears gonads. Alcyonaria have only
polyps, but they are dimorphic, a nutritive
and reproductive polyp called autozooid
which has tentacles, gonads and
mesenteries; the other polyp is a
siphonozooid with no tentacles or gonads,
it only maintains a circulation of water in
the canals of the colony.
 Siphonophora show the highest degree of
polymorphism which is not found
anywhere else in the animal kingdom.
They have three kinds polypoid zooids
and four kinds of medusoid zooids.
 The Polypoid zooids are as follows:
 1. Gastrozooids are tubular or saccular with a mouth, and there may
be one tentacle bearing nematocysts. They are used for digestion and
ingestion of liquid food. Usually a single long and contractile hollow
tentacle arises from base gastrozooid which bears numerous fine
lateral contractile branches called tentilla. The tentilla has knob or coil
of nematocysts.
 2. Dactylozooids are for defence and obtaining food, they are tubular
with no mouth, with a long tentacle armed with batteries of
nematocysts. Modified dactylozooids associated with gonophores on
gonozooids are termed gonopalpons. The dactylozooids are also
called palpons or feelers.
 3. Gonozooids may be like gastrozooids or they may be branching
blastostyles bearing clusters of degenerate male and female medusae
which produce germ cells for reproduction. Mostly, the gonozooids
take the form of a branched stalk called gonodendron having tufts of
gonophores with gonopalpons.
 The medusoid zooids are as follows
 1.Pneumatophore is a gas-filled vesicle or bladder which functions as a float and
helps in swimming. It has gas glands.
 2. Phyllozooids are leaf-like bracts or thick and gelatinous medusoids having a canal
of the enteron. They are protective and shield some zooids of a colony.
 3. Nectocalyces or nectophores are bell-shaped medusoids with a velum, radial
canals and circular canal, they have no mouth, manubrium, tentacles or sense organs,
A nectocalyx is muscular and brings about locomotion of the colony by swimming. It
is also referred to as nectophore or nectozooid.
 4. Gonophores occur singly or in clusters on blastostyles, they are degenerate
medusae with no mouth, tentacles or sense organs, but they have a velum, canals and
a manubrium which bears gonads, Gonophores are dioecious and produce germ cells
for reproduction
Origin of Polymorphism
 A number of theories are given to
illustrate the origin of polymorphism
in Coelenterata; some of these
theories are as follows:
 1. Poly-organ theory. This theory was
proposed by Huxley, Eschscholtz and
Metschnikoff. According to this
theory, a polymorphic colony is
supposed to be a single medusoid
zooid; its various components are
regarded to be the modified organs of
this medusoid zooid. The various parts
of the zooid, i.e., manubrium,
tentacles, umbrella, etc., multiply
independently from one another and
they have assumed different forms to
perform different functions.
 2. Poly-Person theory: This theory was proposed by Leuckart, Vogt and
Gegenbaur. According to this theory, a polymorphic coelenterate is
supposed to be a colonial form in which various types of zooids have been
aggregated to perform different functions. All the zooids of the colony are
either polyps or medusae or both but the primitive zooid of the colony is
of polyp type.

 3. Haeckel, Balfour and Sedgwick have agreed that poly-person theory is


more correct but they are of the view that the primitive zooid of the
colony is probably medusoid which have produced other medusae by
asexual budding. Thus, the zooids of the colony are nothing more than the
organs of medusiform zooid which have shifted their attachment.

 4. Recently, Moser has revived the poly-organ theory. According to him,


the various zooids of the colony are organs which have not yet attained
the grade of polymorphic form.
Polymorphism and Alternation of Generations

 Polymorphism is associated with the life cycles of


Coelenterata. In monomorphic forms, like Hydra,
the polyp reproduces both asexually and sexually,
this condition also applies to Anthozoa. The life
cycle remains very simple; it may be represented
as: polyp-egg-polyp. With the origin of
polymorphism, the reproductive powers of the
organisms are divided among the different zooids of
the colony. In these cases the polyps reproduce
asexually to give rise to medusoid forms (i.e.,
gonophores) which reproduce sexually to form
polyp. The life cycle, thus becomes complicated
and may be represented as polyp-medusa-egg-
planula-polyp.
Significance Polymorphism

 Polymorphism is essentially a phenomenon of division of


labour in which different functions are performed by the
different members or zooids of the colony, viz., polyps are
related to feeding and asexual reproduction, while medusae
are related to sexual reproduction and so on.

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