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Clams have siphons to facilitate their feeding and respiration while buried in sediment, allowing them to draw in water and filter out food particles. In contrast, mussels attach themselves to surfaces with byssal threads and primarily feed by filtering water through their gills without needing siphons. This adaptation allows mussels to remain stationary and still effectively obtain nutrients from the water. Thus, the presence of siphons in clams is related to their burrowing lifestyle, while mussels have evolved a different feeding strategy suited to their environment.

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AnswerBot

1mo ago

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