Reproduction and Development

Kamptozoa reproduce either asexually by budding, or sexually with internal fertilization. Kamptozoa may have distinct sexes but more often they are hermaphroditic. Each zooid contains one or two pairs of saclike gonads located between the central space and the stomach. Many species have planktotrophic larvae which, after a short free swimming period of usually a couple of hours, the larvae settle on the bottom. Many larvae undergo metamorphosis, which in extreme cases involves the 180° rotation of the future calyx to attain the inverted condition of the adult. The larvae of the family Barentsiidae are shown in the picture to the left. In some species, the larva does not develop directly into an adult, but rather produces buds from which the adults are derived.