Is there an animal that never moves once in its entire life?

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Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 30 Aug 2004 19:12 PDT

Howdy yubtub-ga,

Do you mean move, as in from one spot, such as an animal that might be fixed
to that one place, or do you mean move, such as an animal that would be rock
like, in that it doesn't make a breathing motion, etc.

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

Hi yubtub,

http://www.islandwood.org/kids_animals.asp

How far do they go?
Some animals travel extremely long distances, and others only millimeters. 

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http://www.indiaparenting.com/kidcentric/learning/science/001.shtml

Scroll to Body Organs of Animals 
a. Organs of Movement 

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During hibernation, an animal still moves: 
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552980/Hibernation.html

During hibernation, an animal lowers its metabolic rate - the rate at
which an animal uses energy and stops generating the heat necessary to
keep its body temperature above that of the environment. As body
activities slow, the animal becomes less and less capable of
coordinated movement, gradually slipping into a state of dormancy, or
torpor. If, however, the animal?s body temperature slips below a
certain range, the animal will generate heat to boost body temperature
to a safe range. Animals may hibernate for several months, but they do
not remain completely inactive during this time.


Best regards,
tlspiegel

Yes!. John cleese`s parrot.

A sea animal coral comes to mind.  And barnicals, many varieties do
not change location the latter 98% of their life time. I don't think
of any land animals that don't move, but there likely are some
non-moving microscopic animals such as protozoa.

If you divide the universe of living organisms into "plants" and
"animals," then those living organisms that do not derive their energy
from photosynthesis form the set "animals," and the vast majority of
animals ingest food, which requires movement. Even filter feeders such
as the Porifera (sponges) bear ciliated cells that move. Even the most
sessile organisms that bear rudimentary nervous systems are capable of
contractile movements. Thus I would suggest that there are no animals
that lack the capacity for movement. The challenge to this contention
would require demonstration of an animal taxon that does not, at least
during some portion of its life cycle, make use of ciliated cells,
pseudopodia, etc. Indeed, if the question ignores scale, then any
cellular life form moves at the cellular level during mitosis. Even
viral life forms (arguably qualifying as "animals") typically include
a phase in which their genetic material is injected into a host cell,
moving from outside to inside the host in the process.