Toxins protect from predators: jellyfish

Jellyfish deliver deadly toxins to enemies and prey via special stinging cells, called nematocysts.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Move or stay put >
	Move >
	In/on solids

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Creating defended surfaces that cause minor irritation or more severe reactions. Detecting physical and chemical signatures. Mechanical geometry of locking mechanisms.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Only coelenterates, such as jellyfish, know how to make certain special stinging cells, their nematocysts. Contact with a big coelenterate (the Portuguese man-of-war is especially vicious) is extremely unpleasant for a person and often fatal for a fish." (Vogel 1998:30)

About the inspiring organism

Chironex fleckeri
Chironex fleckeri Southcott, 1956

Some organism data provided by: URMO: UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Creating defended surfaces that cause minor irritation or more severe reactions. Detecting physical and chemical signatures. Mechanical geometry of locking mechanisms.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Packaging, security, sensing

References

Vogel, S. 1998. Cats' Paws and Catapults: Mechanical Worlds of Nature and People. New York: WW Norton & Company.

Toxins protect from predators: jellyfish

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