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Parts

of a Cnidarian
Biology Three Part Cards
Claudia Medina

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Parts of the
Cnidarian

Cnidarians are almost exclusively predators,


catching and eating other animals. The
characteristic feature of the groups, their
cnida, is devices through which they capture
prey: they might deliver a paralyzing sting, a
capturing harpoon and cable, or a tangling net.
The poisonous sting, called nematocysts, is the
most common type of cnida. The old name for
the phylum was Coelenterata, a name based
upon their internal space, but there was
nothing especially unique about that structure,
while cnidae, the basis for the new name, are
not found in any other group.

cnidarians



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Some species of jellyfish posses a stinging


structure in the form of nematocysts,
which are generally concentrated on the
tentacles, or oral arms of the jellyfish. This
venomous apparatus although toxic are
primarily a jellyfishes defense and means
of hunting for prey. While in most species
the stings usually paralyze or kill only small
creatures, some poses doses that are
harmful to humans also. However, jellyfish
do not attack humans.

Despite what may be common belief the


tentacles of jellyfish are not involved at all
in the swimming or movement action of
the jellyfish. These tentacles are used only
for gathering food and stinging potential
attackers.

nematocysts



oral arms

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Jellyfish named for their jelly-like body


resembling an empty plastic bag come in a
wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors.
Most are semi-transparent or glassy and
bell-shaped, measuring less than an inch to
over a foot across the bell, although some
may reach 7 feet. Jellyfish move by
floating and relying on the oceans currents
and winds.
Jellyfish move by squeezing their bodies so
that jets of water from the bottom of their
bodies are pushed out which in turn causes
the jellyfish to be propelled forward.

In addition to envenoming prey, cnidarians


use their tentacles to bring their food
towards their mouth or anus and to
provide defense against predators.

Jellyfish

tentacles

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The body of the jellyfish mainly consists of


a bell which confirms to radial symmetry. It
radiates from the central axis and is
perfectly symmetrical from all sides. This
perfect symmetry is very useful for the
survival of the jellyfish because it allows
jellyfish to detect food as well as protect
itself from predators from all sides.

The bell of the jellyfish consists of an outer


layer called the epidermis and an inner
layer called the gastrodermis. The
epidermis contains nerves that can detect
light, odor, pressure and other stimuli. The
nerve receptors in the epidermis are not
controlled by any brain

body



The bell

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A layer of jelly-like material between the


external (ectoderm) and internal
(endoderm) cellular layers of the body of a
sponge or cnidarian. The mesoglea consists
largely of collagen-like fibers .
The Mesoglea acts as the creatures'
structural support in water, as they lack
bones, cartilage or other more common
means of support. Because it is a liquid,
these creatures tend to collapse on land.

Mesoglea

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