Neis

//Neis cordigera //

Class: Nuda Order: Beroida Family: Beroidae

The length of the average Neis often reaches up to 30 centimeters (12 in). These Australian found creatures have a very large oral cavity which allows them to swallow prey whole. While swimming, and particularly while pursuing prey, Neis' can close their mouths like a zipper so that they maintain a streamlined profile. Neis' "zips" their mouths closed from each end, and their "lips" seal shut by forming temporary inter-cellular connections. Neis feed on free swimming animals with soft bodies, primarily from other ctenophores, certainly larger than they themselves can be. They actively hunt for prey. Some species use their macrocilia as teeth to take smaller chunks from the prey. Neis are transparent but can have a blue, orange, pink, or red coloration.

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