The oozoid is covered by a protective outer covering that it secretes.
2.
This buds precociously to form four blastozooids which become detached in a single unit when the oozoid disintegrates.
3.
The atrial siphon of the oozoid becomes the exhalent siphon for the new, four-zooid colony.
4.
A newly settled individual is called an oozoid and is the founding member of a new " P . planum " colony.
5.
This then develops into an oozoid, which reproduces asexually by budding to produce a number of blastozoids, which form long chains ( see image ).
6.
Each blastozooid in the chain reproduces sexually ( the blastozooids are sequential hermaphrodites, first maturing as females, and are fertilized by male gametes produced by older chains ), with a growing embryo oozoid attached to the body wall of the parent.
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