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Which animals prey on corals and jellyfish despite their nematocysts?
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cnidarian
A sea anemone from the genus Tealia attached to a rock.
Despite the potent defense provided by nematocysts, several specialized animals have evolved to prey on corals and jellyfish.
- Corals: The crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) preys on corals by extruding its stomach over the colony to digest the tissue externally. Additionally, certain butterfly fishes and parrot fishes consume corals, as they are insensitive to the effects of nematocysts.1
- Jellyfish: Various marine animals consume jellyfish, including sharks, barreleyes, and sea turtles—specifically green and leatherback sea turtles—which feed on pelagic scyphomedusae.12
- Hydroids: These cnidarians are often victimized by nudibranchs, which bypass the stinging cells by biting through the organism's chitinous skeleton or crawling directly into its openings.1