Suspension feeding

Suspension feeding is the capture of food particles carried in water, often by filtering water across specialized structures or surfaces.

Filter feeding: Filter feeding captures suspended particles by passing water through a filtering structure. It is the best-known suspension-feeding mechanism, though not every suspension feeder uses a filter.
Plankton: Plankton are organisms and particles that drift in water and are unable to swim effectively against currents. Many suspension feeders obtain food from plankton carried past or through them.
Baleen whale: Baleen whales are cetaceans that use plates of baleen to strain prey from seawater. They capture krill and other prey by filtering large volumes of water.
Deposit feeding: Deposit feeding is the consumption of organic material from sediment or other settled deposits. It targets food accumulated on surfaces or in sediments rather than particles suspended in water.
Ciliary feeding: Ciliary feeding uses coordinated beating of microscopic cilia to move water or food particles. Cilia can generate currents that carry suspended food toward feeding surfaces.
Phytoplankton: Phytoplankton are microscopic photosynthetic organisms that drift in aquatic environments. They are a major source of suspended food for aquatic animals.
Bivalve: Bivalves are mollusks with two hinged shells, including clams, oysters, and mussels. Many draw water across gills that trap suspended particles.
Predation: Predation is an interaction in which one organism captures and consumes another organism. Suspension feeding typically captures dispersed particles instead of pursuing individual prey.
Mucus feeding: Mucus feeding traps food particles in secreted mucus for transport and ingestion. Mucus can capture particles without a rigid sieve.
Zooplankton: Zooplankton are drifting aquatic animals and animal-like organisms, including small crustaceans and larvae. Some suspension feeders capture zooplankton alongside smaller particles.

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