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The polyp is the basic body form of a coral animal. It is essentially a round animal with a mouth in the middle and a ring of tentacles around the mouth. The tentacles possess stinging cells (called nematocysts) and can be used to sting, paralyze, and catch prey. The prey is wiped off into the mouth and digested internally in a one-way digestive tract (there is no anus). Undigested material must be regurgitated through the mouth. When the animal is disturbed, or not feeding, it may close up, withdrawing its tentacles but the circular outline of the polyp is still there with its mouth in the middle.

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15y ago

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