In this way the hydroid colony becomes composed of two portions of different function, the nutritive " trophosome," composed of non-sexual polyps, and the reproductive " gonosome," composed of sexual medusaindividuals, which never exercise a nutritive function while attached to the colony.
The coenosarc constitutes a system by which the digestive cavity of any one polyp is put into communication with that of any other individual either of the trophosome or gonosome.
Trophosome encrusting with hydranths of Bougainvillea-type, polyps differentiated into blastostyles, gastrozoids and dactylozoids; gonosome free medusae or gonophores.
Trophosome, polyps with two whorls of tentacles, the lower filiform, the upper capitate; gonosome, free medusae, with tentacles solid and branched.
Trophosome, polyps with a single whorl of capitate tentacles; gonosome, free medusae, with ten tacles branched, solid.