Nematocyst stinging cell. Computer illustration of nematocysts on the tentacle (blue) of a cnidarian. Nematocysts, or cnidocytes, are explosive venomo
Nematocyst stinging cell. Computer illustration of nematocysts on the tentacle (blue) of a cnidarian. Nematocysts, or cnidocytes, are explosive venomous cells found on Cnidaria, which includes jellyfish, sea anemones and corals. They are typically used for self-defence or to capture prey. Each cell contains a thread (cnida, coiled, red) that is fired into the skin of the prey (bottom) to administer the toxin. This thread is fired from a capsule within the nematocyte when a hair-like trigger (cnidocil, red spike) is activated by passing prey.
Size: 4070px × 2835px
Photo credit: © CLAUS LUNAU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -, anatomical, anatomy, anemone, animal, animals, aquatic, background, biological, biology, capsule, cell, cells, cnida, cnidaria, cnidarian, cnidarians, cnidoblast, cnidocil, cnidocyte, cnidocytes, coral, defence, defense, defensive, explosive, fauna, hair, invertebrate, invertebrates, jellyfish, marine, nature, nematocyst, nematocysts, poison, poisonous, predator, predatory, sea, stinging, structure, structures, tentacle, tentacles, thread, toxic, trigger, white, wildlife, zoological, zoology
