Cinefilms of particle capture by an induced local change of beat of lateral cilia of a bryozoan

A local disruption of the metachronal wave always accompanies capture of algal cells by tentacles of Flustrellidra hispida (Fabricius). Beat changes for ≈0.2 s over ≈100μm of the ciliated band during capture of a 10-μm particle. The halted parcel of water is therefore larger than the particle of food but much smaller than the flow that continues past the tentacles elsewhere. These events are consistent with the hypothesis that an induced local reversal of beat concentrates particles for those suspension feeders that retain particles upstream from a band of simple cilia (adults or larvae of bryozoans, brachiopods, phoronids, hemichordates, and echinoderms). These events are not explained by other hypotheses that have been advanced for concentration of particles by these suspension feeders. Aerosol filtration models of direct interception are not applicable to this type of ciliary suspension feeder because retention depends on the magnitude of a stimulus and response to it. The stimulus will not be the same function of diameter of the food particle, and response is unlikely below a threshold stimulus.