[Coral-List] Sand Dollar aggregations

[Jessica Craft]

Does anyone have any information on the rate of travel of sand dollar aggregations? During recent investigations for hardbottom formations in the Gulf of Mexico, results of sidescan sonar surveys have returned anomalous signatures, which, after diver-verification, turned out to be large areas of sand dollars (this has been observed in nearshore and offshore areas in the gulf as well as off the coast of NC).  My questions are: 1) What are the reasons for these sometimes very large aggregations (Food sources? Breeding aggregations?) which appear during all times of the year, and 2) How fast do they travel? How far could these aggregations move in a month? 


Thanks.

Jessica A. Craft, M.S.
Marine Science & Biological Research Department
Coastal Planning & Engineering
2481 NW Boca Raton Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33431
ph. (561) 391-8102
cell. (561) 859-9974
fax. (561) 391-9116
jcraft at coastalplanning.net
www.coastalplanning.net



Please consider the environment before printing this email.