1.
a group of genetically identical single-celled or small multi-celled organisms that are physically connected and function as one individual; a colonial organism
A biology term for organisms that live as physically connected aggregates of genetically identical individuals, so that it is often unclear whether to count them as one organism or many. Classic examples include corals, sponges, Portuguese men-of-war, certain colonial algae (such as Volvox), and many bryozoans. 群体 is contrasted with 単体 (a solitary individual) and with 群れ (a herd or flock), which refers to unconnected individuals that simply move around together.
The Portuguese man-of-war is known as a colonial organism in which multiple individuals come together to perform the function of a single animal.
Composed of 群 (group, flock) + 体 (body). Literally "a group body," capturing the idea of many individuals fused into a single organism. A technical term from biology.
Common collocations
- 群体生物: colonial organism
- 群体動物: colonial animal
- 群体を形成する: to form a colony
- 群体の一部: part of a colony
- 群体サンゴ: colonial coral
Similar words
- 単体: a solitary individual — the opposite of 群体 in biology.
- 個体: an individual (organism) — the building block that makes up a 群体.
- 群れ: herd, flock, school — unconnected individuals moving together, such as a school of fish or a flock of birds.
- 集団: group (general) — used for people or loose groupings of animals, not for biologically fused colonies.
- コロニー: colony (loanword) — used in biology interchangeably with 群体 in some contexts, and in microbiology for a visible cluster of bacteria grown from a single cell.
Watch out
群体 sounds identical to 軍隊 ("army, military forces"), a much more common word. Context almost always makes the distinction clear.
CLASSIC EXAMPLES OF 群体 ORGANISMS:
- サンゴ: coral
- カイメン: sponges
- カツオノエボシ: Portuguese man-of-war
- ボルボックス: Volvox (a colonial green alga)
- コケムシ: bryozoans, moss animals
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Technical and written. Primarily at home in biology textbooks, natural history books, and nature documentaries.