*Step 1: Food Ingestion*
1. Filter-feeding: water enters mantle cavity, gills filter food particles.
2. Ciliary action: gill cilia move food particles to food groove.
3. Mucous entrapment: food particles trapped in mucous on gill surface.
*Step 2: Food Sorting*
1. Lamellae sorting: food particles sorted, rejected particles removed.
2. Food groove transport: sorted food moved to mouth.
*Step 3: Digestion*
1. Mouth ingestion: food enters mouth.
2. Stomach grinding: crystalline style grinds food against gastric shield.
3. Enzyme secretion: digestive gland secretes enzymes.
4. Intracellular digestion: digestive glands break down nutrients.
*Step 4: Absorption*
1. Nutrient absorption: digestive glands absorb broken-down nutrients.
2. Transport to bloodstream: absorbed nutrients transported to bloodstream.
*Step 5: Waste Elimination*
1. Intestine formation: intestine forms feces.
2. Rectum extension: rectum extends through heart and pericardial cavity.
3. Anus opening: anus opens in suprabranchial cavity.
4. Feces elimination: feces eliminated with exhalent water current.
*Septibranchia Digestive Process*
1. Septum pumping: septum creates negative pressure.
2. Animal capture: muscular lamellae seize small animals.
3. Stomach gizzard: stomach crushes animals.
4. Digestion and absorption: same as above.
*Tridacna gigas Supplemental Process*
1. Zooxanthellae farming: algae farmed in mantle tissue.
2. Phagocytic cell engulfment: algae digested by phagocytic cells.
3. Supplemental nutrition: additional nutrients obtained.
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