Abstract
The colonial hydroid Halocordyle disticha (= Pennaria tiarella) kills prey with stenotele nematocysts. These nematocysts become less responsive after heavy feeding, but their killing activity is restored after hydranths are placed in fresh medium. Nematocysts of unfed hydranths became inactive when neighboring hydranths (either attached or separated) were fed; the effect increased with the amount of previous prey-killing. The loss of nematocyst activity was not due to stenotele depletion or compounds in prey fluids; waste products produced by the hydroid or prey had little effect. Extracts of capitate tentacles produced inactivation, and stenoteles were completely inhibited in a concentrated solution of stenotele discharge products. Our results indicate that the inactivation of stenoteles is due to the accumulation of materials released from the stenoteles during discharge.
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