A short-term study of the fertility and embryonic development of Tripneustes ventricosus off the northwest coast of Puerto Rico

Abstract

Sea urchins are important sentinel species for marine biodiversity given that they help maintain coral reefs. The sea urchin species Tripneustes ventricosus is among the most abundant pantropical species, found around the world, including in the Caribbean. In Puerto Rico, T. ventricosus live in the intertidal zones less than 30 m deep and showed rapid recovery, observed within 6 months, after Hurricane Maria. Despite their abundance and resilience, very little is known about their embryonic development or morphological characteristics that may shed light into their role in local coral reefs. The purpose of this project was to determine if T. ventricosus collected from a local beach could be used to study echinoid embryonic development. T. ventricosus proved to be easily collected and spawned using common laboratory techniques. Embryonic developmental timetables were similar to other known tropical sea urchin species. It is generally believed that T. ventricosus is important for the health of coral reefs in Puerto Rico, supporting the need for a more thorough understanding of the life cycle, spawning cycles and phylogeography of this species so important to coral reef survival in a changing environment.