Barnapede

Barnapedes live in shallow U-shaped burrows, their heads sticking out at one end and their tails from the other. Its feathery antennae and tail bristles beat rhythmically to draw detritus into their constantly open mouths. The stiff bristles on the back of a barnapede lodge the barnapede into its burrow and help it dig. In this way, the bristles are similar to the setae of earthworms.

Adult barnapedes prefer to stay in one burrow throughout their lives. If plucked from the burrow, they are lethargic, and highly unlikely to create a new burrow. The only thing that will rouse them from their stupor is encountering a pit or burrow in the nearby mud. Upon sensing this burrow or pit, the barnapede will actively but fitfully work on enlarging and investigating the burrow.

Young barnapedes, in contrast, float freely. While floating, their bodies are almost always contorted into a U-shaped or horseshoe-shaped form. As they float, they beat their antennae and tail bristles, causing them to slowly roll forward in the water. When they grow to 0.5 cm, they settle to the seafloor and construct a burrow. They may also use preexisting burrows, and like the jongfoll they may inadvertently use burrows that are unfortunately not abandoned.