Symmetrization
sihm-eh-truh-ZAY-shuhn n.
Rapid pulsing to regain body symmetry after an injury in some jellyfish.
Scientists have long studied jellies’ ability to regrow body parts. But it turns out that some of these creatures, including the diaphanous Aurelia aurita, or moon jelly, forgo sprouting new arms after an injury, researchers report online June 15 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Instead, these animals use their muscles to move their existing arms into a symmetrical arrangement. (As youngsters, moon jellies have arms. Later, they grow into the canonic bell shape.)