Figure 3. Blastogenetic cycle of B. schlosseri.

A. Scheme showing the colonial cycle and the corresponding stages of blastozooid development (sketched in ventral view, irrespective of the true reciprocal per-lateral orientation between the three generations). Colony stages are indicated by a combination of three numbers separated by slashes (black); stages of blastozooids of first, second and third generation are indicated in blue, purple and orange, respectively. The blastozooid begins its life as a small secondary bud at stage 1, becomes a primary bud passing from stage 6 to 7/1, and adult passing from stage 8/6 to 9/7/1. Its regression occurs at stage 11/8/6. The take-over represents the colonial phase in which changes of generation occurs. In blastozooids, anterior at top and posterior at bottom (modified from [40]). B. Ventral view of a colony of B. schlosseri, constituted of two systems. Scale bar: 1 mm. C. Scheme of a system (dorsal view) and details of its blastozooids (ventral view). In blastozooids, anterior at top, posterior at bottom and irrespective of the true reciprocal per-lateral orientation between the three generations (modified from [5]).