Why Is Planula Important?

Planula, plural planulae, free-swimming or crawling larval type common in many species of the phylum Cnidaria (e.g., jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones). ... The planula body is more or less cylindrical or egg-shaped and bears numerous cilia (tiny hairlike projections), which are used for locomotion.

What does a planula become?

These fuse to form a free-floating larval stage, a planula, which settles and metamorphoses into a new polyp. The phylum is also characterized by the presence of stinging cells for the capture of prey (nematocysts), which are particularly abundant in the tentacles and which give the phylum its name.

What is planula stage?

The planula is the first larval stage of Aurelia, and is formed soon after the egg and sperm combine to form a zygote. The planula is lined with cilia and eventually settles, forming a scyphistoma. Planula larval stages are common to many Cnidarians.