Green Hydra

Hydra are multi-cellular organisms. They are made up of two layers of epithelial cells and have a hypostome or mouth opening. Circling the mouth are tentacles that contain nematocysts or stinging cells to help in prey capture. The mouth and tentacles are called the hydranth. The rest of the Hydra is known as the column and is divided into four sections: the gastric section (between the tentacles and first bud), budding section (which produces the buds), the peduncle (between the lowest bud and basal disc), and the basal disc (foot-like structure). Hydra are diploblastic organisms, the body is composed of two embryonic cell layers; the ectoderm and the endoderm. The endoderm lines the gastrovascular cavity, which is a water-filled sac, this acts as a hydroskeleton and site for food digestion. They also have a simple nervous system that consist of a nerve net that covers the entire body.

Hydra are typically hermaphroditic or gonochoric. Uniquely to Hydra, the medusa stage is absent and only the polyps will reproduce sexually and asexually. H. viridissima will reproduce sexually when temperatures have warmed to at least 20 °C, typically this falls between May and June. Larger individuals will produce both ovaries and testes, while smaller individuals only develop testicles. Sexual reproduction can be seen as a strategy to survive during times of low nutrients and other unfavorable conditions. H. viridissima has three sexes: female, male, and hermaphrodite. Simultaneous hermaphrodites are dominant during the growing season. It is thought that female gonads need a longer period of inductive conditions for production, that means that there is a scarcity of females in most populations.