An example of a filter -feeding animal is

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which animal is a filter feeder. A filter feeder strains tiny food particles (plankton, small organisms) from water using a special straining structure.

Step 2: Explain the concept Filter feeding (also called suspension feeding) is a method where an animal passes water through a filtering structure and traps the food particles in it. Examples include:

• Baleen whales (blue whale, humpback), which use baleen plates
• Mussels and clams, which use gills
• Sponges
• Some sharks, such as the whale shark and basking shark
• Flamingos

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Shark: Most sharks are active predators with sharp teeth. Only a few species (whale shark, basking shark) filter feed, so "shark" in general is not the best example.
• B. Butterfly: It sucks nectar through a proboscis. This is a sucking feeder, not a filter feeder.
• C. Whale: Baleen whales have baleen plates that strain krill and plankton from seawater. This is a classic example of filter feeding.
• D. Mosquito: It pierces the skin and sucks blood (a piercing and sucking mouthpart). Not a filter feeder, although mosquito larvae do filter feed in water. The adult is the one usually referred to.

Step 4: Answer The best answer is **C.

Tip: Remember "Whale = Baleen = Filter." In JAMB, when you see filter feeders, think of whales, mussels, and sponges. Also link feeding types to mouthparts: butterfly = sucking, mosquito = piercing and sucking, shark = predator with teeth.