Colony (biology)
Colony (biology)
A colony (pronunciation: /ˈkɒləni/) in biology refers to a group of identical or similar organisms living together, often for mutual benefit. The term is derived from the Latin colonia, meaning "settlement" or "farm".
Definition
A colony in biology is a group of cells or organisms that are physically connected and live together, often expressing some degree of cooperative behavior. This can be seen in various species across the animal kingdom, plant kingdom, and microorganisms.
Types of Colonies
There are several types of colonies in biology, including:
- Microbial colony: A visible cluster of microorganisms growing on the surface of or within a solid medium, presumably cultured from a single cell.
- Colonial organism: Organisms composed of multiple, genetically identical individuals, which are known as zooids.
- Superorganism: A colony of eusocial animals, where division of labour is highly specialised and where individuals are not able to survive by themselves for extended periods.
Etymology
The term colony comes from the Latin word colonia, which originally referred to a Roman settlement or farm. In the context of biology, it was first used to describe groups of animals living together in the 18th century.
Related Terms
- Cell: The basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all known organisms.
- Microorganism: A microscopic organism, which may exist in its single-celled form or in a colony of cells.
- Superorganism: A group of synergistically interacting organisms of the same species.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Colony (biology)
- Wikipedia's article - Colony (biology)
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