A fully developed stinging cell containing a coiled, venomous harpoon-like structure, ready to fire at prey or threats.
From Greek knide (sting) + kystis (bladder, container). The term describes the capsule-like structure that holds the coiled stinging apparatus within the cell.
A cnidocyst is pressurized to about 1,400 pounds per square inch—that's like a medieval catapult miniaturized to microscopic size!
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