Obelia hydrozoan. Light micrograph of feeding polyps (hydranths) forming part of an Obelia geniculata hydroid colony. The feeding polyps are each surr

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Obelia hydrozoan. Light micrograph of feeding polyps (hydranths) forming part of an Obelia geniculata hydroid colony. The feeding polyps are each surrounded by a cup (hydrotheca), and consist of a tubular body leading to a globular hypostome, which ends in the mouth. Around the top of the tube are solid tentacles that contain many stinging cells (nematocysts). These inject poison into the prey, after which the prey is passed to the mouth and later the body where it is digested. Magnification: x36 when printed at 10 centimetres high.

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Size: 3744px × 5616px
Photo credit: © DR KEITH WHEELER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: anatomical, anatomy, animal, biological, biology, cell, cells, coelenterate, colonial, colony, fauna, feeding, geniculata, hydranth, hydranths, hydrotheca, hydrozoa, hydrozoan, hydrozoid, hypostome, invertebrate, invertebrates, light, lm, marine, micrograph, microscope, mouth, nature, nematocyst, nematocysts, obelia, poison, polyp, polyps, stinging, tentacle, tentacles, wildlife, zoological, zoology