Abstract
Suspension-feeding in the holothurianNeopentadactyla mixta(Östergren), 1898 is accomplished by an adhesive secretion synthesized in modified retractable discs of epithelial cells located on the terminal tentacular nodes. Besides secretory cells, each disc epithelium is composed of three other cell types: ciliated, granular and nerve cells. The fine structure and possible functions of the epithelium are described with reference to the behaviour of tentacles during feeding and the observations are compared with existing information on holothuroid feeding mechanisms.

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