ABSTRACT
Clypeaster rosaceus inhabits Caribbean seagrass beds or relatively bare patches within grassy areas. It is found in shallow waters in depths from about 1 to 5m. This study has been initiated in order to determine food sources in different habitats and to study the influence of C. rosaceus on the biotic fragmentation of the sediment. C. rosaceus is found in both dense seagrass beds with fine sediment (silty mud) as well as on coarser sediments (sand) with lower T. testudinum biomass. Within the size classes ranging from 1–4 mm, dead calcareous segments of the green algae of the genus Halimeda (H. incrassata, H. monile, H. opuntia) are ingested at a much higher percentage than present in the sediment. Due to its preference for coarse grain sizes, C. rosaceus plays an important role in the biotic fragmentation of these sediments. Particles which have been selectively collected are conveyed to the food grooves and jaws and ground.
