Feeding of the short-spined sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius on macroalgae and benthic animals

Abstract

To examine the feeding ecology of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius, two types of macroalgal diet (kelp Saccharina longissima and red alga Ptilota filicina) and four types of benthic animal diet [barnacle Balanus glandula, limpet Lottia cassis, free-living Perinereis aibuhitensis and P. aibuhitensis attached to a stainless steel wire (wired polychaete)], were separately or simultaneously provided for urchins of 5- to 60-mm test diameter (TD). Sea urchins of even 3-mm TD could graze the kelp, and began to graze the red alga, the wired polychaete and limpet by 5-mm TD, the barnacle by 8-mm TD and the free-living polychaete by 15-mm TD, respectively. These results suggest that the variety of macroalgae and benthic animals which the urchin can graze increases with the ontogeny of their feeding organs, motility and ability to catch animals. Both juvenile and adult sea urchins preferred to eat the polychaete as well as the kelp fronds. Feed conversion efficiency and daily growth rate of the small sea urchins fed benthic animals like the polychaete were higher than those fed macroalgae. The sea urchins are likely to grow better when feeding on animals than on macroalgae, even in habitats where they can access adequate quantities of kelp.