Freshwater Polyp Hydra (IMAGE)

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Freshwater Polyp Hydra

Caption

The freshwater polyp Hydra carries hundreds of stinger cells in each of its tentacles, which are used for prey capture and defence. A stinger cell contains a miniature weapon, the nematocyst. Recordings with an electronic framing-streak camera in Nüchter et al., May 9th issue of Current Biology, now reveal that the kinetics of discharge are in the nanosecond-range and so represent one of the fastest movements known in biology.

Credit

Timm Nüchter (Frankfurt)

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