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Feeding behaviour of the felt-, sponge-, and coral-feeder sea stars, mainlyCulcita schmideliana

Ethologie alimentaire des Stéllérides mangeuses de film épibenthique, d'éponges et de madréporaires, principalement deCulcita schmideliana

Resume

Sur les récifs coralliens de la région de Tuléar (Madagascar), les éthologies alimentaires des Stéllérides de l'épifaune ont été étudiées, particulièrement celle deC. schmideliana. Cette espèce colonise habituellement les herbiers de Phanérogames des platiers récifaux internes; dans ce biotope, elle se nourrit toujours en extroversant son estomac, soit sur le film épipsammique ou épiphytique (riche en algues microscopiques, diatomées, bactéries, foraminifères et méiofaune), soit sur les colonies deGellius cymiformis, éponge associée à une algue filamenteuse et qui vit à la surface du sédiment. Récemment (en 1971–72) des populations deC. schmideliana se sont développées dans les formations coralliennes du platier récifal interne (platier compact, platier à éléments dispersés, platier à alignements coralliens et couloirs sableux); dans ces biotopes particuliers, cette étoile de mer se nourrit du film épibenthique croissant à la surface des colonies mortes (algues et faunule associée), ou bien de madréporaires vivants(Galaxea, Goniopora), d'éponges ou d'alcyonnaires(Xenia). Ce comportement nutritionel particulier et non dévut est analysé; des hypothèses sur les causes de cette migration sont avancées. Par ailleurs, la distribution et les éthologies alimentaires d'autres Stéllérides épibenthiques habitant les récifs coralliens, telles que:Acanthaster planci, Linckia laevigata etL. multifora, Nardoa variolata, Echinaster purpureus, Monachaster sanderi, Asterina burtoni, Choriaster granulosus, Protoreaster nodosus etP. lincki, Pentaceraster mammillatus, sont décrites et discutées.

Summary

1. On the coral reefs of the Tuléar region (S. W. Madagascar), the feeding behaviour of sea stars, in particular the speciesCulcita schmideliana has been studied. It feeds in its usual biotope, the sea-grass beds of the inner reef flats, on the epibenthic film of the substrates, of the leaves, but also commonly on sponges, mainly the symbioticGellius cymiformis (associated withCeratodictyon spongiosum);

2. In the moat (residual pools, coral-built formations) of the inner reef flat where the population was poor in 1965 but equal to that of the sea-grass bed in 1972, the cushion sea star feeds on the epibenthic felt, but also on the living corals (Galaxea, Goniopora) and on soft corals(Xenia). This latter diet is very close to that of the Pacific cogeneric species,Culcita novaeguinae.

3.Acanthaster planci populations are normal on the reef flats of the region (but a little more dense on the fringing reef under silty deposits). Only a beginning of an infestation was observed in May 1972, but it disappeared later (condition 6 of Chesher's classification).

4. Others Oreasterids feed mainly on epibenthic film, extruding their stomachs on the substrates.Protoreaster nodosus has a larger distribution thanP. lincki, Pentaceraster mammillatus andChoriaster granulosus.

5. Among others sea stars,Asterina burtoni seems to be a large predator of species living under dead coral blocks (sponges, ascidiacea) of the boulder tracts and of the rubbly flats.

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Thomassin, B.A. Feeding behaviour of the felt-, sponge-, and coral-feeder sea stars, mainlyCulcita schmideliana . Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 28, 51–65 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01610796

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