High-speed videos of siphonophore tentilla and nematocyst discharge

Siphonophores are free-living predatory colonial hydrozoan cnidarians
found in every ocean of the world. Siphonophore tentilla (tentacle side
branches) are unique biological structures for prey capture, composed of a
complex arrangement of cnidocytes (stinging cells) bearing different types
of nematocysts (stinging capsules) and auxiliary structures. Tentilla
present an extensive morphological and functional diversity across
species. Tentilla have a precisely coordinated high-speed strike mechanism
of synchronous unwinding and nematocysts discharge. Here we characterize
the kinematic diversity of this prey capture reaction using high-speed
video and find relationships with morphological characters.