Ecology Summary - Pentaceraster mammillatus

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Ecology of Pentaceraster mammillatus

Main Ref.	Al-Ansi, M.A. and J.A. Al-Khayat, 1999
Remarks	Found on soft substrata in sheltered areas of coral reefs (Refs. 106821, 129602). Members of the family Oreasteridae feed mainly both on epifaunal organisms (colonial and/or encrusting organisms) and on surface detritus (Ref. 108108). Suspected to suck and ingest epibenthic felt of microorganisms and perhaps organic substances (Ref. 108109).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Pentaceraster mammillatus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic; Soft Bottom
Substrate Ref.	Santos, R., D. Haesaerts, M. Jangoux and P. Flammang, 2005
Special habitats	Coral Reefs;
Special habitats Ref.	Santos, R., D. Haesaerts, M. Jangoux and P. Flammang, 2005

Associations

Ref.
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly plants/detritus (troph. 2-2.19)
Feeding type Ref.	Thomassin, B.A., 1976
Feeding habit	browsing on substrate
Feeding habit Ref.	Thomassin, B.A., 1976

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	2.00	0.00			Trophic level and s.e. inferred from exclusive plant/detritus food items.
Ref.