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| Bivalves and Chitons |
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Student pages |
Siliqua patula
Siliqua patula can be found in protected sandy bays in the lower intertidal to subtidal zones4, 6. S. patula has a remarkable ability at burrowing, and has been observed to completely bury itself in 7 seconds4. The foot is extended into the sand and expanded, S. patula then pulls the body down and repeats process until covered by sediments3. Similar to other bivalves S. patula are filter feeders, removing plankton from the water column by filtering through paired gills3. Additionally, S. patula share the common bivalve characteristic of broadcast spawning3. Gametes are released into the planktonic environment, where fertilization occurs3.
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