Siphonophora

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Siphonophora \Si`pho*noph"o*ra\, prop. n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ???
     a siphon + fe`rein to bear.] (Zool.)
     An order of pelagic Hydrozoa including species which form
     complex free-swimming communities composed of numerous zooids
     of various kinds, some of which act as floats or as swimming
     organs, others as feeding or nutritive zooids, and others as


     reproductive zooids. See Illust. under {Physallia}, and
     {Porpita}.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Siphonophora
       n : marine colonial hydrozoans [syn: {order Siphonophora}]