Long-term effects of light spectra on fitness related behaviors and growth of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

Abstract The appropriate light spectrum for reseeding small sea urchins is crucial for stock enhancement. Here, we investigated righting, foraging behavior and growth of small sea urchins Strongylocentrotus intermedius exposed to five light spectra (blue light: 440–490 nm, green light: 510–550 nm, red light: 630–670 nm, yellow light: 570–600 nm and white light) for 60 days. In the present study, S. intermedius exposed to red light had a smaller test diameter than those exposed to other light spectra (P   0.05). Consistently, the lantern length and weight of S. intermedius under red light were smallest among five light spectra. These results indicate that red light significantly inhibits the growth of S. intermedius. The successful foraging proportion showed no significant difference among the five light spectra (P > 0.05). Righting response time and foraging time, however, were significantly higher in S. intermedius under blue light than those exposed to other light spectra (both P