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Why do bryozoan tentacles have cilia?
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moss animal
Eurystomella bilabiata, a moss animal from the Order Cheilostomata.
Bryozoan tentacles, which form a structure known as the lophophore, are equipped with cilia to facilitate the collection of food particles suspended in the water. These hairlike projections serve two primary functions in the feeding process:12
- Water Circulation: Long lateral cilia beat to draw water into the top of the tentacle funnel and propel it outward between the tentacles.2
- Particle Transport: Shorter cilia located on the inner face of the tentacles capture and carry food particles directly toward the mouth.2
If particles begin to leave the funnel between the tentacles, the bryozoan can reverse the beat of its cilia to flick the particles back into the feeding area. Once the food reaches the mouth, it is ingested into the pharynx for digestion.2