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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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