Final answer:
Arrow worms are carnivorous marine predators that use their feeding tentacles to actively hunt and capture prey, distinguishing them from deposit feeders like earthworms and other annelids with varied feeding strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Arrow worms, which are members of the phylum Chaetognatha, are carnivorous marine predators. Unlike deposit feeders such as earthworms, which consume organic matter within the soil, or polychaetes that may be filter feeders, scavengers, or active predators on the ocean floor, arrow worms are known for actively hunting their prey. They utilize their feeding tentacles to capture and consume small planktonic animals and represent a different feeding strategy within the aquatic food web.
Arrow worms have long, narrow bodies equipped with flexible arms, allowing for fast movement, which is useful in predation. Their bodies are equipped with movable spines that serve various functions such as movement, defense, and environmental sensing. Unlike many annelids, which exhibit a variety of feeding mechanisms including filter-feeding, siphoning, or even blood-feeding as in the case of leeches, arrow worms are exclusively predatory and are specialized for capturing prey for their sustenance.