Let me share with you a difference between polyps and medusae.
| Aspect | Polyps | Medusae |
| Body Form | Cylindrical or vase-shaped, typically attached to a substrate | Umbrella-shaped, free-swimming in the water column |
| Position of mouth and tentacles | Mouth and tentacles facing upward | Mouth and tentacles hanging downward |
| Movement | Limited or no movement; sedentary | Active swimming, propelled by pulsations of the bell |
| Symbiotic associations | Often forms colonies, as seen in coral polyps | Typically solitary, although some species may form swarms |
| Ways of reproduction | Asexual reproduction through budding or fragmentation | Sexual reproduction and releases eggs and sperm into the water for external fertilization |
| Life Cycle Stage | Typically represents the sessile or attached stage in the life cycle | Represents the mobile and free-swimming stage in the life cycle |
| Nervous System | Nerve net and ganglia in the basal disk | Nerve net and ganglia spread throughout the bell and tentacles |
| Examples | · Coral polyps · Sea anemones | · Jellyfish (Scyphozoa and Cubozoa) |