Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita
Abstract Background The blue button, Porpita porpita (Porpitidae), is a highly integrated colonial animal—i.e., a superorganism. It has multiple genetically identical bodies (zooids) that arise from the same embryo and are functionally specialized for distinct tasks and arranged in precise patterns....
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BMC
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Zoology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00565-3 |
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| author | Kohei Oguchi Akiteru Maeno Keita Yoshida Gaku Yamamoto Hisanori Kohtsuka Casey W. Dunn |
| author_facet | Kohei Oguchi Akiteru Maeno Keita Yoshida Gaku Yamamoto Hisanori Kohtsuka Casey W. Dunn |
| author_sort | Kohei Oguchi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The blue button, Porpita porpita (Porpitidae), is a highly integrated colonial animal—i.e., a superorganism. It has multiple genetically identical bodies (zooids) that arise from the same embryo and are functionally specialized for distinct tasks and arranged in precise patterns. Their colonies include a float, coenosarc, gastrozooid (feeding polyp), gonozooids (reproductive polyps), and dactylozooids (tentacle polyp). Colonies are fragile and difficult to culture, leaving much about their development and lifecycle unknown. We provide new insight into colony development of P. porpita with morphological observation and histological analysis using histological sections and micro-CT technology. Results From 2019 to 2024, we collected over 267 P. porpita specimens of varying sizes to study colony development. Morphological investigation revealed that the number and length of gastrozooids, gonozooids and dactylozooids increased with float size. Further observation by histological section and micro-CT technique revealed the internal structures of colonies, including gastrozooid, floats, and aboral chambers that connect various zooids. Immature gonozooids and dactylozooids were observed near mature ones, providing insight into their colony level development. In addition, some colonies showed irregular shapes, but still contained at least one gastrozooid, illustrating the structural variation within the species. Conclusions Our study revealed that gonozooids and dactylozooids increased in both number and size as the colony develops. Moreover, the growth zones for dactylozooids are located at the boundary of the mantle and coenosarc, and gonozooids emerge along the entire epithelium between the gastrozooid and dactylozooids. Colony growth generally follows a pattern proportional to colony circumference and area, and some colonies show irregular shapes, suggesting they have high regenerative capabilities. Taken together, these findings enhance our understanding of the ecology and life history of P. porpita. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2ad99e7d66244b31b5a5ccacc7e25053 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1742-9994 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Zoology |
| spelling | doaj-art-2ad99e7d66244b31b5a5ccacc7e250532025-08-20T04:03:07ZengBMCFrontiers in Zoology1742-99942025-06-0122111210.1186/s12983-025-00565-3Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpitaKohei Oguchi0Akiteru Maeno1Keita Yoshida2Gaku Yamamoto3Hisanori Kohtsuka4Casey W. Dunn5Misaki Marine Biological Station, The University of TokyoCell Architecture Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111Department of Biology, Undergraduate School of Biological Sciences, Tokai UniversityEnoshima AquariumMisaki Marine Biological Station, The University of TokyoDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, Peabody Museum, Yale UniversityAbstract Background The blue button, Porpita porpita (Porpitidae), is a highly integrated colonial animal—i.e., a superorganism. It has multiple genetically identical bodies (zooids) that arise from the same embryo and are functionally specialized for distinct tasks and arranged in precise patterns. Their colonies include a float, coenosarc, gastrozooid (feeding polyp), gonozooids (reproductive polyps), and dactylozooids (tentacle polyp). Colonies are fragile and difficult to culture, leaving much about their development and lifecycle unknown. We provide new insight into colony development of P. porpita with morphological observation and histological analysis using histological sections and micro-CT technology. Results From 2019 to 2024, we collected over 267 P. porpita specimens of varying sizes to study colony development. Morphological investigation revealed that the number and length of gastrozooids, gonozooids and dactylozooids increased with float size. Further observation by histological section and micro-CT technique revealed the internal structures of colonies, including gastrozooid, floats, and aboral chambers that connect various zooids. Immature gonozooids and dactylozooids were observed near mature ones, providing insight into their colony level development. In addition, some colonies showed irregular shapes, but still contained at least one gastrozooid, illustrating the structural variation within the species. Conclusions Our study revealed that gonozooids and dactylozooids increased in both number and size as the colony develops. Moreover, the growth zones for dactylozooids are located at the boundary of the mantle and coenosarc, and gonozooids emerge along the entire epithelium between the gastrozooid and dactylozooids. Colony growth generally follows a pattern proportional to colony circumference and area, and some colonies show irregular shapes, suggesting they have high regenerative capabilities. Taken together, these findings enhance our understanding of the ecology and life history of P. porpita.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00565-3PorpitaColonialityZooidsMicro-CTHistology |
| spellingShingle | Kohei Oguchi Akiteru Maeno Keita Yoshida Gaku Yamamoto Hisanori Kohtsuka Casey W. Dunn Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita Frontiers in Zoology Porpita Coloniality Zooids Micro-CT Histology |
| title | Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita |
| title_full | Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita |
| title_fullStr | Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita |
| title_full_unstemmed | Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita |
| title_short | Zooid arrangement and colony growth in Porpita porpita |
| title_sort | zooid arrangement and colony growth in porpita porpita |
| topic | Porpita Coloniality Zooids Micro-CT Histology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-025-00565-3 |
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