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Why do deep-burrowing clams have long siphons?
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Deep-burrowing clams have long siphons to allow them to remain buried deep within substrates such as sand or mud, which provides protection from predators. Despite being submerged in the sediment, these elongated, tentacle-fringed siphons reach up to the surface, enabling the animal to continue breathing and feeding by drawing in water from the water column.12