Sand Dollar
| Name: | Sand Dollar |
| Scientific Name: | Clypeaster subdepressus |
| Family: | Sand Dollars |
| Taxonomic: | Clypeasteridae |
| ID Group: | Sea Stars, Urchins, Cucumbers |
| Size: | up to 12 in. |
| Depth Range: | In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.) |
| Sightings: | Not usually seen |
The Sand Dollar has a flat, brown, round body with a five-pointed flower pattern on its back. Its surface is covered in short, soft spines. The edge is smooth with no holes or notches. When it dies, its shell becomes gray.
The Sand Dollar lives just below the surface of sandy areas. It feeds on tiny bits of organic matter by using sticky grooves and spines to catch food, then grinds it up with a special jaw. This process helps recycle nutrients and clean the sand.