One of a bivalve's most important organs: its gills. The gills are covered by tiny micron-scale cilia in feather-like branching patterns, which wave in the water, grabbing prey and carrying them down to be sorted and eaten, or spat back out. The clam controls the cilia directly via its nervous system when it smells its food floating by! Some bivalves like scallops can also see phytoplankton moving by, triggering waving of the cilia. Ciliary movement can also be triggered in many species by dosing with serotonin. #clamFacts