relationships are stable at multiple temporal scales. Aronson’s investigations
concluded that strong hurricanes did not cause detectable damage to the ophiuroids
subpopulations and did not affect predator–prey interactions (Aronson 1991, 1992,
1998).
Hendler (1982) studied the feeding behavior of the basketstar Astrophyton
muricatum at Carrie Bow Cay, Belize. He described the sequence of events in
nocturnal behavior from 18:16 to 05:40 h, by filming an indivdual and measuring
the direction and intensity of currents. Astrophyton muricatum fed during the
periods of moderate water speed associated with ebb and flood currents. It changed
feeding position in response to tidal flow by directing its arms into the current.
Hendler (1984a) examined the mutualistic association between the sponge
Callyspongia vaginalis and its obligate commensal Ophiothrix lineata on Carrie
Bow Cay. The diet of O.lineata consisted of detrital particles adhering to the
sponge which were too large for it to use as food. Thus, the brittlestar cleans
the inhalant surface of the sponge as it feeds, increasing filtration capability of
the sponge. This association allows O. lineata to hide on the sponge from predatory fishes. Hendler (1984a) reports the presence of six species of ophiuroids
(Ophiothrix lineata, O. suensoni, O. angulata, O. oerstedi, Ophiactis savignyi and
O. quinqueradia) associated with the sponges C. vaginalis and Neofibularia
nolitangere, and provides their size frequency (disk diameter) and their location
inside or outside of the sponges. Ophiothrix lineata and O. oerstedi were restricted
to C. vaginalis, while only O. quinqueradia was restricted to N. nolitangere.
Ophiothrix lineata activity outside the sponges begins at dusk and diminishes in
the morning (Hendler 1984a).
Hendler and Peck (1988) compared Belize Barrier Reef ophiuroids collected at
a depth of about 24 m on the fore-reef slope with those collected in shallow waters
(0–15 m depth) by Hendler and Littman (1986). They found 44 species, eight
species were restricted to the shallow reef, and nine species were found only on the
fore-reef. They measured the disk diameter of each individual and grouped the
species according to four modes of reproduction: (1) planktotrophic (with pluteus
larvae), (2) lecitotrophic (with vitellaria larvae), (3) brooders, and (4) fissiparous.
They noted that species richness of brooding species increased with depth, but the
number of fissiparous, planktotrophic and lecitotrophic species did not vary with
depth. Their results showed that species richness increases with depth. They found
differences in the species richness composition, relative species abundance, and
reproductive modes between the ophiuroids occurring on the shallow-reef and the
fore-reef slope.
Hendler et al. (1999) described a previously unreported phenomenon of
planktonic dispersal of juvenile ophiuroids. This observation suggests that juveniles reenter the plankton and drift, or perhaps raft on algal fragments, after having
been recruited to the benthos. The water-borne juvenile ophiuroids are compared
to plantigrade and planktonic postlarva stages of other marine invertebrates.
Parasitic crustaceans in ophiruorids from Belize were studied by Maddocks
(1987), Humes and Hendler (1999) and Hendler and Kim (2010). Maddocks
(1987) described the ostracod Pontocypria hendleri as a commensal of the
78
J. J. Alvarado et al.
concluded that strong hurricanes did not cause detectable damage to the ophiuroids
subpopulations and did not affect predator–prey interactions (Aronson 1991, 1992,
1998).
Hendler (1982) studied the feeding behavior of the basketstar Astrophyton
muricatum at Carrie Bow Cay, Belize. He described the sequence of events in
nocturnal behavior from 18:16 to 05:40 h, by filming an indivdual and measuring
the direction and intensity of currents. Astrophyton muricatum fed during the
periods of moderate water speed associated with ebb and flood currents. It changed
feeding position in response to tidal flow by directing its arms into the current.
Hendler (1984a) examined the mutualistic association between the sponge
Callyspongia vaginalis and its obligate commensal Ophiothrix lineata on Carrie
Bow Cay. The diet of O.lineata consisted of detrital particles adhering to the
sponge which were too large for it to use as food. Thus, the brittlestar cleans
the inhalant surface of the sponge as it feeds, increasing filtration capability of
the sponge. This association allows O. lineata to hide on the sponge from predatory fishes. Hendler (1984a) reports the presence of six species of ophiuroids
(Ophiothrix lineata, O. suensoni, O. angulata, O. oerstedi, Ophiactis savignyi and
O. quinqueradia) associated with the sponges C. vaginalis and Neofibularia
nolitangere, and provides their size frequency (disk diameter) and their location
inside or outside of the sponges. Ophiothrix lineata and O. oerstedi were restricted
to C. vaginalis, while only O. quinqueradia was restricted to N. nolitangere.
Ophiothrix lineata activity outside the sponges begins at dusk and diminishes in
the morning (Hendler 1984a).
Hendler and Peck (1988) compared Belize Barrier Reef ophiuroids collected at
a depth of about 24 m on the fore-reef slope with those collected in shallow waters
(0–15 m depth) by Hendler and Littman (1986). They found 44 species, eight
species were restricted to the shallow reef, and nine species were found only on the
fore-reef. They measured the disk diameter of each individual and grouped the
species according to four modes of reproduction: (1) planktotrophic (with pluteus
larvae), (2) lecitotrophic (with vitellaria larvae), (3) brooders, and (4) fissiparous.
They noted that species richness of brooding species increased with depth, but the
number of fissiparous, planktotrophic and lecitotrophic species did not vary with
depth. Their results showed that species richness increases with depth. They found
differences in the species richness composition, relative species abundance, and
reproductive modes between the ophiuroids occurring on the shallow-reef and the
fore-reef slope.
Hendler et al. (1999) described a previously unreported phenomenon of
planktonic dispersal of juvenile ophiuroids. This observation suggests that juveniles reenter the plankton and drift, or perhaps raft on algal fragments, after having
been recruited to the benthos. The water-borne juvenile ophiuroids are compared
to plantigrade and planktonic postlarva stages of other marine invertebrates.
Parasitic crustaceans in ophiruorids from Belize were studied by Maddocks
(1987), Humes and Hendler (1999) and Hendler and Kim (2010). Maddocks
(1987) described the ostracod Pontocypria hendleri as a commensal of the
78
J. J. Alvarado et al.