Borrowing Venom
Borrowing Venom
Some sea creatures, such as coral-eating parrotfish and jellyfish-eating sea turtles, prey on cnidarians. Most animals, of course, avoid them. Yet, a few animals have found ways to use the cnidarians’ venom for their own self-defense.
Anemonefish live safely among the tentacles of anemones. The fishes’ scales are covered with a protective slime that keeps the anemones from hurting them. Anemonefish guard the anemones by chasing away other animals. Other fish find safety by living among the tentacles of jellyfish.
Some kinds of sea slugs are also protected by slime— but instead of living among an anemone’s tentacles, they eat them. instead of digesting the nematocysts, however, the sea slug’s body stores them in frills or bumps along its back. There, they work to protect the sea slug from predators.
Some sea creatures, such as coral-eating parrotfish and jellyfish-eating sea turtles, prey on cnidarians. Most animals, of course, avoid them. Yet, a few animals have found ways to use the cnidarians’ venom for their own self-defense.
Anemonefish live safely among the tentacles of anemones. The fishes’ scales are covered with a protective slime that keeps the anemones from hurting them. Anemonefish guard the anemones by chasing away other animals. Other fish find safety by living among the tentacles of jellyfish.
Some kinds of sea slugs are also protected by slime— but instead of living among an anemone’s tentacles, they eat them. instead of digesting the nematocysts, however, the sea slug’s body stores them in frills or bumps along its back. There, they work to protect the sea slug from predators.
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