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Description
Heteromorphostomes are an order of vermiform stratozoans.

The colonies of these polyzoans have the type of growth characteristic of the phylum Stratozoa, in which each zooid emerges from the mouth of its parent, but with a more complex organization. The first zooid serves as a "body" and to move the colony across the substrate using a skin covered in cilia. From this first zooid emerges a gill zooid and a second calyx-shaped zooid, from which a cormidium emerges with multiple digestive zooids.

Something unique about heteromorphostomes is that each of the digestive zooids eats a specific type of food, which allows the same species to specialize in multiple ecological niches at the same time.

A single colony may have wide zooids adapted to scrape the substrate, feathery to trap plankton, or individuals equipped with jaws to capture small prey. The presence of an auxiliary zooid is also common in case of needing to eat less specific foods.

Despite being inconspicuous organisms due to their small size, their bauplan has allowed them to colonize almost all the marine environments of Polinices, from the tide pools to the immense sandy bottoms.

Description
Heteromorphostomes are an order of vermiform stratozoans.

The colonies of these polyzoans have the type of growth characteristic of the phylum Stratozoa, in which each zooid emerges from the mouth of its parent, but with a more complex organization. The first zooid serves as a "body" and to move the colony across the substrate using a skin covered in cilia. From this first zooid emerges a gill zooid and a second calyx-shaped zooid, from which a cormidium emerges with multiple digestive zooids.

Something unique about heteromorphostomes is that each of the digestive zooids eats a specific type of food, which allows the same species to specialize in multiple ecological niches at the same time.

A single colony may have wide zooids adapted to scrape the substrate, feathery to trap plankton, or individuals equipped with jaws to capture small prey. The presence of an auxiliary zooid is also common in case of needing to eat less specific foods.

Despite being inconspicuous organisms due to their small size, their bauplan has allowed them to colonize almost all the marine environments of Polinices, from the tide pools to the immense sandy bottoms.