Effect of food supply and body size on the foraging behavior of the burrowing sea urchin Echinometra mathaei (de Blainville)

• Published in: Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology Vol. 135; no. 2; pp. 99 - 108
• Main Authors: Hart, Leslie J., Chia, Fu-shiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.01.1990; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Drift food; Echinodermata; Echinometra; Echinometra mathaei; Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Sedentary; USA, Hawaii; Echinometra; Drift food; Feeding behavior; Sedentary; Echinodermata; Marine environment; Strategy; Invertebrata; Feeding
• ISSN: 0022-0981; 1879-1697
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-0981(90)90009-2

The foraging behavior of the normally sedentary sea urchin Echinometra mathaei (de Blainville) from Hawaii was examined in the laboratory. Sea urchins, living in cavities in limestone rocks, were divided into two treatments: in one the animals were fed daily and in the other they were starved for a 34-day period. The frequency of foraging of sea urchins in each treatment and in three size classes was determined. Starved sea urchins increased their foraging behavior while fed animals remained sedentary. Intermediate-sized animals were most inclined to forage for food. Under laboratory conditions, E. mathaei maintained a sedentary mode of feeding as long as drift food was available but began to forage when starved. Size-related differences in foraging were observed and may be related to factors such as differing food requirements, susceptibility to predation and intraspecific competition for space.