TENTACULAR NEMATOCYTE DISCHARGE AND "SELF-RECOGNITION" INANTHOPLEURA ELEGANTISSIMABRANDT

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Abstract
In the clonal anemone Anthopleura elegantissima isolated mucus from both clonemates and non-clonemates fails to elicit discharge of tentacular nematocytes. While direct contact between clonemates fails to elicit significant discharge, similar contact between non-clonemates does so. Isolated mucus from a number of xenogeneic Zoantharia elicits discharge, and the reciprocal tests are positive. However, while mucus from the congeneric A. xanthogrammica fails to elicit discharge in A. elegantissima, the latter's mucus effects significant discharge in A. xanthogrammica. The relation of these and other studies to our understanding of the physiology of nematocyte discharge is discussed.