THE BIOLOGY OF THE TROPICAL SEA URCHIN TRIPNEUSTES ESCULENTUS LESKE IN BARBADOS, BRITISH WEST INDIES

Abstract

Tripneustes esculentus is a large white-spined sea urchin, common at Barbados and in coastal waters throughout much of the tropical Atlantic, which is exploited locally as food. Its biology is given here in terms of growth, reproduction, development, reactions, methods of feeding, and variability. Growth as a whole is relatively rapid during fall and winter months, but slows down during spring and summer, which is the period of gonad maturation. Ripening individuals tend to aggregate and spawning occurs throughout the three summer months. The larvae are described and also the metamorphosis of late plank-tonic stages. Adult animals move away from sources of light stimulus. They feed almost exclusively upon algae.