Sand dollar
Clypeaster subdepressus
Gray, 1840
Description:
This sea urchin is extremely flattened. The body does not have any holes or notches. Very short spines cover the body, giving it an almost (not quite!) velvety appearance. A five-pointed star pattern is visible on the back. The color of the animal is a mottled brown to dark brown. The shells of these species are gray.
Size: Body up to 12 cm. Spines up to 1 cm.
Habitat:
Lives on the shallow, sandy areas around the reefs. It hides in the sands during the day.
Depth: ranges from 0 m down to 13 m.
Distribution:
Occasional all over the Caribbean.
Remarks:
A similar species, Clypeaster rosaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) occurs in the area. It differs from C. subdepressus by a less flattened body, and its habitat. It lives in the seagrass beds, and hides by covering itself with grass blades, debris and shell fragments. The shells of these species are white.