Medusozoa

Medusozoa; Temporal range:
	Pacific sea nettles, Chrysaora fuscescens
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Subphylum:	Medusozoa
Classes
	† Conulariida; Hydrozoa – hydrozoans; Acraspeda Cubozoa – box jellyfish; Scyphozoa – true jellyfish; Staurozoa – stalked jellyfish; ; Polypodiozoa – a parasite;

Medusozoa is a clade in the phylum Cnidaria, and is often considered a subphylum. It includes the classes Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Staurozoa and Cubozoa, and possibly the parasitic Polypodiozoa. Medusozoans are distinguished by having a medusa stage in their often complex life cycle, a medusa typically being an umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles around the edge. With the exception of some Hydrozoa (and Polypodiozoa), all are called jellyfish in their free-swimming medusa phase.

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