Sand dollar
Mellita quinquiesperforata
This sand dollar lives on shallow sandy bottoms along the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, where it often rests partly buried beneath shifting sediment. It feeds by using tiny tube feet and mucus-coated grooves to gather diatoms, algae, and organic particles from the sand and water. Movement is slow and deliberate, driven by countless small spines on its flattened body. Its five narrow openings, called lunules, help reduce lift from waves and currents so it can stay anchored on the seafloor.
- Type
- Shell / Burrow
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Sand dollar