Content
- What are filter animals
- What do filter feeders eat?
- Types of filter animals
- Examples of filter-feeding mammals
- Examples of filter birds
- Examples of filter fish
- Examples of filtering invertebrates
All living things need energy to carry out their vital processes, and it is obtained from the nutrients they consume. The vast diversity of existing animal species has different characteristics, among which are the way they feed, so that each group obtains and processes food in a particular way. This form is linked to their own anatomical and physiological conditions, but also related to the habitat in which they develop.
That's why in this PeritoAnimal article we'll talk about filter animals: characteristics and example. You will find that these animals separate their food from a watery environment thanks to specialized structures for this purpose. Good reading!
What are filter animals
Filter animals receive this name for their peculiar way of feeding. Filter feeding is generally carried out in aquatic environments and consists of capturing the food (which can be of plant or animal origin) and then discard the water so that you can only ingest the prey.
What do filter feeders eat?
The diet of filter feeders can be very varied and, in some cases, more specific, and may be composed of:
- Plankton.
- Other animals.
- Plants.
- Algae.
- Bacteria.
- Organic matter remains.
Types of filter animals
Filter animals can feed in several ways:
- active animals: some filter feeders remain active in the aquatic environment, constantly seeking sustenance.
- sessile animals: we can also find sessile species that depend on the water currents that pass through their bodies to capture their food.
- Animals that absorb water: in other cases, where the currents do not facilitate this process, the animals absorb the water and with it the food, so that it is retained by the animal.
These species are present in several groups, from birds and mammals to a wide variety of aquatic invertebrate animals. They play a fundamental role within the trophic networks of ecosystems. In addition, they can play an important role in water clarification and purification, as is the case with oysters. We will know in more detail some examples of filter animals below.
Examples of filter-feeding mammals
Within the filtering mammals, we find the mysticites, which are the fin whales, group where we found the largest mammal on Earth. These animals don't have teeth and instead they have flexible blades made of keratin, which are also called fins and are located in the upper jaw. Thus, when swimming, the whale keeps its mouth open for water to enter. Then, with the aid of the tongue, it expels the water, and the tusks of adequate size are retained in the barbs and are ingested.
This group of animals consumes fish, krill or zooplankton, since they are carnivores, but whatever the food, it must be present in large quantities for them to be interested in catching it. Whales can feed at different depths, both on the seabed and on the surface.
Some examples of filter-feeding mammals are:
- Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena Australis).
- Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
- gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus).
- pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata).
- Whale I know (Balaenoptera borealis).
Examples of filter birds
Among birds, we also find some that feed by filtration. Specifically, they are individuals who live most of the time in bodies of water, and some of them can even be excellent swimmers. They can be:
- Poultry exclusively filter: as is the case with flamingos.
- Birds with mixed feed: others can combine this mode of feeding with other adaptive strategies, such as ducks, which have filtering structures, but also have a kind of small "teeth" inside their beaks, with which they can directly hold prey.
Among the foods that these birds filter, we can find shrimp, molluscs, larvae, fish, algae and protozoa. In some cases, they may ingest small amounts of mud to consume certain bacteria present in this sediment.
Examples of filter fish
In the fish group there are also several species that are filter feeders, and their diet can consist of plankton, small crustaceans, other smaller fish and, in some cases, algae. Among the filter fish, we find, for example:
- Whale shark (rhincodon typus).
- elephant shark (cetorhinus maximus).
- Greatmouth shark (Megachasma pelagios).
- menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus).
Generally, these animals let the water enter the mouth and pass to the gills, where there are spiny structures that retain the food. After the water is expelled, they start consuming the food.
Examples of filtering invertebrates
Within invertebrates, we find the greatest diversity of filter-feeding animals, and just as in the case of filter-feeding mammals, they are exclusively aquatic. Let's see examples of different types of filtering invertebrates:
- bivalve molluscs: within this group we find oysters, mussels and scallops. In the case of oysters, they suck water with the movement of their eyelashes, and the food is trapped in a slimy substance they have in their jowls. Oysters filter out various contaminants that reach the water, processing them in such a way that they are no longer dangerous. Mussels, in turn, feed on phytoplankton and suspended organic matter, also using cilia to make the marine liquid flow into their bodies.
- sponges: porifers are also filtering invertebrates that have a body system very well adapted for this process, with multiple chambers with flagella that retain organic particles, bacteria, protozoa and plankton in general, to feed. This group is also capable of storing contaminants present in water.
- Crustaceans: Two members of this group that represent filter feeders very well are krill and mysids, both from marine habitats. Despite their tiny size, they are quite efficient in filtering and collecting suspended particles or phytoplankton, which they feed on. The filtration takes place through structures called "food baskets", where the food is retained for later consumption.
Filter animals have a important ecological role within aquatic ecosystems, as renew the water through its filtration process, thus keeping the quantities of particles suspended in this medium stable. In this way, your presence becomes very important within these spaces. Furthermore, as we mentioned, they have a great relevance in the marine food chain, as they constitute one of the first levels of these complex webs.
If you want to read more articles similar to Filter animals: characteristics and examples, we recommend that you enter our Balanced Diets section.