1. relating to or denoting a body cavity that functions in both digestion and circulation of nutrients in certain simple animals
Usage: biology; used in descriptions of organisms such as jellyfish, sea anemones, and flatworms

Examples

• Jellyfish have a gastrovascular cavity that serves as both a stomach and a circulatory system.
• The gastrovascular system of hydra allows it to digest food and distribute nutrients throughout its body.
• Sea anemones rely on their gastrovascular cavity for nutrient distribution.
• In flatworms, the gastrovascular cavity branches throughout the organism to reach all cells.
• The gastrovascular pouch of certain cnidarians is lined with cells that secrete digestive enzymes.