Filtradoras

Filtradoras is a Spanish term commonly used to refer to organisms and devices that feed or separate particles by filtering a medium, most often water. In ecological contexts, it corresponds to the English concept of filter feeders or suspension feeders: animals that obtain food by straining suspended matter and food particles from water. The term may be applied to a variety of taxa and to human-engineered filtration systems.

Biological filtradoras include bivalves (clams, mussels), sponges, many cnidarians, some polychaete worms, certain crustaceans, baleen whales, and filter-feeding fish and birds. Feeding mechanisms vary: ciliary currents and mucus nets in invertebrates, baleen plates in whales, and gill rakers in some fish. These mechanisms allow capture of phytoplankton, detritus, and small zooplankton.

Filtradoras perform important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, water clarification, and the formation of habitat structure (e.g., oyster reefs). They can act as bioindicators of water quality and are used in aquaculture and bioremediation to reduce suspended solids and contaminants.

Human activities affect filtradoras through pollution, habitat destruction, overharvesting, and climate change, which can reduce populations and impair ecosystem services. Conservation and management measures include protected areas, sustainable harvesting practices, and habitat restoration. In non-biological contexts, filtradoras may refer to mechanical or industrial filters designed for particle separation in water treatment, air purification, and manufacturing processes.