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Multiple Choice
How do barnacles, which are classified as protists, obtain their food?
A
By scavenging
B
By photosynthesis
C
By filter feeding
D
By parasitism
Verified step by step guidance
1
First, let's clarify the classification of barnacles. Barnacles are not protists; they are actually crustaceans, which are a type of arthropod. This is important for understanding their feeding mechanism.
Barnacles are sessile organisms, meaning they are fixed in one place and do not move around to find food. This characteristic influences their method of obtaining food.
Barnacles obtain their food through a process called filter feeding. They have specialized appendages called cirri, which they extend into the water to capture plankton and other small particles.
The cirri act like a net, trapping food particles as water flows over them. The barnacle then draws the cirri back into its shell to consume the captured food.
This method of filter feeding is efficient for barnacles, allowing them to feed on the abundant microscopic organisms present in the water around them.