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Saturday, June 5, 2021

A clean sweep

  

Such a cool view of a peanut worm (Phascolosoma agassizii) collecting food particles off the surface of a sponge.  The peanut worm in the foreground has its tentacles extended and is sweeping them backwards (to the right) as it retracts its trunk-like introvert.

We've seen this behavior so often now that we're wondering if it's mutualistic — e.g., does the sponge benefit from having its outer surface "cleaned" of large particles and does the peanut worm benefit from having a smooth surface from which to collect food?

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