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🪼 How does a jellyfish sting?

You brush something you never saw. The sting is already over — thousands of microscopic capsules, not a bite.

lessons

~12 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Adults

level

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What you’ll learn

A jellyfish carries its stingers on cellsIdentify cnidocytes and nematocysts and distinguish jellyfish stingers from comb-jelly capture cells.Tentacles distribute specialized cells that capture prey and deter predators.
A nematocyst is a pressurized microscopic launcherExplain how a loaded capsule, osmotic pressure, and eversion produce a rapid discharge.A nematocyst stores and releases mechanical energy in a tiny pressurized capsule.
The trigger is touch plus the cell's own chemistryDescribe mechanical and chemical triggers and why a jellyfish can sting without chasing.Local cnidocytes respond to contact and can fire independently of conscious control.
Venom makes a sting painful and sometimes dangerousConnect venom effects and immune responses to the wide range of sting severity.Species-specific venom and exposure conditions determine whether a sting is mild or dangerous.
Detached tentacles can still fireExplain why loose tentacles remain hazardous and why severe symptoms require urgent local care.Distributed, single-use stingers can continue to discharge after tentacles detach.

Questions this course answers

Which structure contains the tiny stinging launcher?

Cnidocytes contain nematocysts, capsules with coiled threads that discharge on contact.

Match each structure with its role.

The animal's visible parts support different steps in capture and feeding.

What happens to a nematocyst thread during discharge?

The tubule everts from the capsule, allowing a long thread to emerge from a tiny space.

Put the nematocyst event in order.

The capsule must be prepared before a trigger releases the pressure-driven thread.

Why can rubbing make a sting worse?

Mechanical contact is one of the cues that can activate nematocysts.

Why does a jellyfish not need to chase prey to sting it?

The trigger is local, so currents and movement can bring a target to a tentacle.

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