spirozooid

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The defensive zooid of certain hydroid hydrozoans, as of Podocoryne, a tubularian polyp: so called as coiling or curling spirally when not in action. These zooids are long slender filaments always provided with cnidæ or lasso-cells for nettling, and are sometimes called spiralozooids. Compare dactylozooid and machopolyp.