Classification
Full scientific name: Turritopsis nutricula (McCrady, 1857).
Taxonomy according to ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System):
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hydrozoa
Order: Anthoathecatae
Family: Oceanidae
Genus:
Turritopsis
Species:
nutricula
Synapomorphies supporting this taxonomy (ITIS
and Schuchert 2005):
Eukarya: organism’s cells contain
membrane-bound organelles
Animalia: organism develops tissues from
embryonic cell layers
Cnidaria: organism’s body contains cnidocytes
(stinging cells)
Hydrozoa: organism alternates between polyp and
medusa forms
Anthoathecatae: hydrozoans that always have a
polyp stage
Oceanidae: hydroids are monomorphic or polymorphic; sessile, stolonal, or branched colonies
Turritopsis: genus with unique morphological traits, capable of cell transdifferentiation
nutricula: largest and most common species of Turritopsis
Turritopsis nutricula in Latin translates roughly to "tower nurse" in English (University of Notre Dame 2012). This could very likely be due to the organism's capacity for regeneration.