Changes in Body-Component Indexes and Respiration with Size in the Purple Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

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Abstract
The body of a sea urchin can be divided conveniently into the following body component body wall, lantern, gut, gonad and perivisceral fluid. The ratio of the wet weight of each component to the wet weight of the urchin constitutes the component index (e.g. body-wall index). The body-wall index and lantern index were found to decline with increase in mass of the body, the decline being most prominent in the lower size range. A smaller decline in gut index with increase in mass of the sea urchin body was also detectable. An increase in perivisceral fluid index with increase in body weight was observed, corresponding to the decrease in body-wall index. Gonad index varies with reporductive condition from less than 1 to about 20. The respiratory rate of the entire sea urchin decreases with increase in size. An attempt is made to explain this decrease in respiration in terms of the present findings.

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