How do cockles feed?

Cockles are filter feeders, meaning they obtain their food by filtering tiny organisms and particles out of the water. Here's how they do it:

1. Siphons: Cockles have two siphons, one for inhaling water and one for exhaling water.

2. Inhaling water: The inhalant siphon draws in water, which flows through a series of gills.

3. Filtering: The gills are covered in tiny cilia (hair-like structures) that trap food particles like plankton, algae, and bacteria.

4. Digesting: The trapped food particles are transported to the cockle's mouth and then to its stomach for digestion.

5. Exhaling water: The exhaled water, now filtered and devoid of food particles, is released through the exhalant siphon.

Essentially, cockles are like tiny underwater vacuum cleaners, constantly drawing in water, filtering out the food, and expelling the clean water back into the environment.