Animals That Eat Seagrass

Seagrasses are flowering plants that live in water. There are approximately 45 types of seagrass known worldwide. Seagrass requires plenty of water clarity and good quality to survive. This is because they possess similar structures to terrestrial plants. One acre of seagrass can produce over 10 tons of leaves a year! Seagrass provides food, as well as habitat for many marine animals.

  1. Manatees

    • Manatees are herbivores. Adults consume over 100 pounds of food a day. Babies can eat over 1,200 pounds. They eat seagrass as well as other types of grass. Occasionally they will, by accident, eat snails and small animals.

    Green Sea Turtles

    • Adult green sea turtles are the only sea turtles that are herbivores. They eat the vast beds of seagrass found in the tropics. However, when they are juveniles, they are carnivorous, feeding on man-o-war and jellyfish. When they reach 20-25 centimeters in length they begin feeding on algae and seagrasses.

    Fish

    • Many types of fish are found in coral, rubble, weedy areas and seagrass. Parrotfish, surgeonfish and pinfish have been known to feed on benthic algae and seagrasses.

    Sea Urchins

    • The long spined, sea egg and variegated sea urchin feed on seagrass. They eat the type of seagrass known as turtle grass.