Sand dollars are amazing creatures that are indeed alive, despite the fact they seem like they don’t breathe or move. Courtesy of YouTube channel “Sea Something,” you’re about to learn that sand dollars are living, breathing creatures, plus the fascinating difference between a live and a dead sand dollar.
You’re probably used to seeing dead sand dollars, which are light white to greenish-yellow in color. You can clearly see the grooves and opening at the bottom, which means the sand dollar is no longer alive. But when she goes back to the live sand dollar, there’s a big difference. This one is a blackish-purple color, and when she flips it over and zooms in, you can clearly see the dollar’s moving bristles. Yikes! It’s pretty incredible… yet equally creepy. I had no idea!
Sand dollars eat microscopic organisms floating in the water, which is why they have these super-fine bristles. “They’ll actually catch this plankton, move it with their bristles toward the center, which is where their mouth is, and then consume it that way.”
From now on, I’ll have a much greater appreciation for the beautiful sand dollars found along the beach.
You certainly learn something new every day…
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