How do gill slits function in cephalochordate feeding?

In cephalochordates, gill slits play a critical role in suspension feeding by facilitating the movement of water and the capture of food particles.12

The process functions as follows:

• Water Current Generation: The beating action of cilia located on the gill slits draws a continuous current of water into the mouth and through the pharynx.123
• Mucus Secretion: An endostyle, a glandular organ situated on the floor of the pharynx below the gill slits, secretes a sheet of mucus.12
• Particle Trapping: As water passes through the gill basket, this mucus sheet moves upward across the gill slits, trapping suspended food particles from the water current.123
• Transport: Once the food is captured, the mucus sheet is rolled up and transported to the intestine for digestion and absorption. The filtered water then passes into the atrium and exits the body through the atriopore.12