(UNDERWORLD II) ~ ZOOOIDS (ZOO-OYDS)
12" x 12" Acrylic on canvas ~ 6/15/2009

My second painting in the series "UNDERWORLD" , these are the 'ZOOOIDS' or 'ZOOIDS', (** see definitions below) Self-replicating organisms through means other than sex.

My creatures are based on living things called "Siphonophora". The illustrations I discovered are from the bio-drawings of Ernst Haeckel, (from the book; "ART FORMS IN NATURE") (Ernst Haeckel: [link]) Sometimes I meander through this lovely book to get jolts of inspiration. (and also to enjoy, always that!)

I'm also currently working on #3 in the 'Underworld' series which I plan to title "FAUNA vs FLORA", or vise-versa.

Definitions of "ZOOIDS"

1. any organic body or cell capable of spontaneous movement and of an existence more or less apart from or independent of the parent organism.
2. any animal organism or individual capable of separate existence, and produced by fission, gemmation, or some method other than direct sexual reproduction.
3. any one of the recognizably distinct individuals or elements of a compound or colonial animallike organism, whether or not detached or detachable.

zo·oid   (zō'oid'   
n.  
1. An organic cell or organized body that has independent movement within a living organism, especially a motile gamete such as a spermatozoon.
2. An independent animallike organism produced asexually, as by budding or fission.
1. One of the distinct individuals forming a colonial animal such as a bryozoan or hydrozoan.