The tentacled, usually bell-shaped, free-swimming sexual stage in the life cycle of a coelenterate, such as a jellyfish.
[Latin Medūsa, Medusa (from the Medusa's snaky locks). See Medusa.]
medusa
Dictionary:
me·du·sa (mĭ-dū'sə, -zə, -dyū'-)  |
n., pl., -sas, or -sae (-sē, -zē).
The tentacled, usually bell-shaped, free-swimming sexual stage in the life cycle of a coelenterate, such as a jellyfish.
The tentacled, usually bell-shaped, free-swimming sexual stage in the life cycle of a coelenterate, such as a jellyfish.
| 5min Related Video: medusa |
| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: medusa |
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Medusa stage of a jellyfish (credit: Tom McHugh — Photo Researchers)
Medusa stage of a jellyfish (credit: Tom McHugh — Photo Researchers)
For more information on medusa, visit Britannica.com.
| Veterinary Dictionary: medusa |
Jellyfish; a colony of animals comprising a bell from which hang a number of filaments and tentacles. Called also hydromedusa. Inflict painful stings and can cause death, even of humans. See also hydrozoa.
- m. head colonies — colonies of Bacillus anthracis on agar have this appearance of being domes with a fringe of filaments.
| Wikipedia: Medusa (biology) |
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This animal article requires cleanup to conform to a higher standard of quality. The article's talk page may have suggestions. |
In biology, a medusa (plural: medusae) is a form of cnidarian in which the body is shortened on its principal axis and broadened, sometimes greatly, in contrast with polyps. Medusae vary from bell-shaped to the shape of a thin disk, scarcely convex above and only slightly concave below. The upper or aboral surface is called the exumbrella and the lower surface is called the subumbrella; the mouth is located on the lower surface, which may be partially closed by a membrane extending inward from the margin (called the velum). The digestive cavity consists of the gastrovascular cavity and radiating canals which extend toward the margin; these canals may be simple or branching, and vary in number from few to many. The margin of the disk bears sensory organs and tentacles.
In the class Hydrozoa, medusae are the sexual individuals of many species, alternating in the life cycle with asexual polyps. The medusa form of Hydrozoans are known as hydromedusae.
The medusa form predominates in the classes Scyphozoa (the common, colorful, large jellyfish) and Cubozoa. Except for freshwater hydrozoans like Craspedacusta sowerbyi, these are the only classes in which medusae appear.
German biologist Ernst Haeckel popularized medusae through his vivid illustrations, particularly in Kunstformen der Natur.
Haeckel's medusae
 Discomedusae |
 Narcomedusae |
 Discomedusae |
 Trachomedusae |
 Discomedusae |
 Leptomedusae |
 Peromedusae |
 Anthomedusae |
 Cubomedusae (modern Cubozoa) |
 Discomedusae |
 Discomedusae |
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| Translations: Medusa |
Dansk (Danish)
n. - Medusa (myt.), gople, meduse
Nederlands (Dutch)
Medusa (Griekse mythologie), kwal
Português (Portuguese)
n. - medusa (f) (Zool.)
Русский (Russian)
медуза, Медуза Горгона
Español (Spanish)
n. - medusa, aguaviva
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
水母
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 水母
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) سمكه هلاميه, شقيقات ثلاث في الأساطير الإغريقيه
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - מדוזה, דמות מיתולוגית מפחידה
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Medusa (biology)". Read more |
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| Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- medusian
- sea nettle
- scyphomedusa (invertebrate zoology)
- medusiform
- sea jelly
- planoblast (invertebrate zoology)
- craspedon (invertebrate zoology)
- medusoid
- polypomedusæ
- gymnoblastic (invertebrate zoology)
- Lodger/Mask of Medusa (1999 Album by Peter Lorre)
- Euryale (Gorgon)
- sea wasp
- jellyfish
