2001 Camry 4 Cylinder: Help Identifying Part (Partially A Hose)
 

Can anyone identify this part on my 2001 Camry LE 4 cylinder? (inside the red circle) I went to AutoZone over the weekend and their salesman couldn’t indentify it either (with photos on my cell phone and actually going out to the parking lot and looking at it).

It’s a hose that appears to be connected to a box (it seems like it [the hose and box] are all one part). The hose has a hole about the width of my thumb and several inches long. Is it important that I replace or fix it?


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cam...510527d1be.jpg

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.