Mutations and rearrangements that occur by misalignment during DNA replication are frequent sources of genetic variation in bacteria. Dislocations between a replicating strand and its template at repetitive DNA sequences underlie the mechanism of these genetic events.
Cnidarians take on two basic forms, a medusa and a polyp. The medusa form is a free-swimming structure which consists of an umbrella-shaped body (called a bell), a fringe of tentacles that hang from the edge of the bell, a mouth opening located on the underside of the bell, and a gastrovascular cavity. The mesoglea layer of the medusa body wall is thick and jelly-like.
Cnidarians (such as the Hydra in the adjacentimage) do not possess organs or systems, but they possess a number of significant characteristics of the digestive systems of higher animals. They possess a mouth and a gastrovascular cavity.