S. Schoppe et B. Werding, THE BOREHOLES OF THE SEA-URCHIN GENUS ECHINOMETRA (ECHINODERMATA, ECHINOIDEA, ECHINOMETRIDAE) AS A MICROHABITAT IN TROPICAL SOUTH-AMERICA, Marine ecology, 17(1-3), 1996, pp. 181-186
Members of the genus Echinometra (Echinoidea: Echinometridae) inhabit
hard substrata in shallow waters where they live in self-excavated dwe
llings. Boring by Echinometra spp. causes a secondary structure of the
surface, thus forming additional microhabitats. In this study the eff
ects of boring activities of Echinometra lucunter (L.) along the Carib
bean coast of Colombia and of Echinometra vanbrunti A. AGASSIZ in the
Colombian Pacific is examined. Several species inhabit the boreholes o
ccupied by these urchins. The associates live underneath the echinoid
on the bottom of the borehole, where they find shelter from exposure a
nd predators. The co-inhabitants of E. lucunter include the porcellani
d Clastotoechus vanderhorsti (SCHMITT), the recently described brittle
star Ophiothrix synoecina (SCHOPPE), and the clingfish Acyrtus rubigin
osus (POEY). The species co-occurring with E. vanbrunti include the po
rcellanid crab Clastotoechus gorgonensis WERDING & HAIG and the clingf
ish Arcos decoris BRIGGS. With the exception of A. decoris, all of the
se species are obligatorily associated with the Echinometra host.