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Related FAQs: Sea Urchins, Urchins 2Urchins 3Urchin Identification, Urchin Behavior, Urchin Compatibility, Urchin Selection, Urchin System, Urchin Feeding, Urchin Disease, Urchin Reproduction

Related Articles: Echinoderms, An Introduction to the Echinoderms:  The Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers and More... By James W. Fatherree, M.Sc. Algae ControlNutrient Control and Export

/A Diversity of Aquatic Life

Some Spines Now! Sea Urchins (and Sand Dollars), the Echinoids, Pt. 3

To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

 

By Bob Fenner

 

Genus Echinothrix:

Echinothrix calamaris (Pallas 1774), the Hatpin Urchin. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawai'i. Should be kept singly and may prey on Cnidarian livestock. Need large spaces in rock to hide amongst by day and coarse substrate. Hawai'i, Cebu, Philippines and  N. Sulawesi images. 
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Family Cicaridae:

Genus Chondrocidaris:

Chondrocidaris gigantea, A. Agassiz 1863, the Rough-Spined Urchin. Dark Larger outer spines covered with fouling organisms (algae, sponges, bryozoans...). Relatively short, secondary spines are clean. Hawai'i and New Caledonia at depths of usually 30 meters plus. Hawai'i pix.  

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Genus Eucidaris:

Eucidaris thouarsii (Valenciennes 1846), Slate Pencil Urchin. Family Cidaridae. To 10.2 inches in diameter. Sea of Cortez to Ecuador and Galapagos Islands. Ten rows of 5-8 variously sharp/dull club-like spines. Feeds on benthic algae and Pocillopora and Pavona corals. Common in the Galapagos. Found on rocky shore shallows to 150 meters depth. Galapagos pic.

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Eucidaris tribuloides (Lamarck 1816), Mine, Pencil, Club Urchin. Tropical West Atlantic. Solitary, hiding by day. Live on algae, bryozoans, sponges, tunicates in the wild. Algae and opened shellfish in captivity. To about three inches in diameter. Cozumel, aquarium and Bonaire photos. 

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Genus Holocentrotus:

Heterocentrotus mammillatus (Linnaeus 1758), the (Red) Pencil Urchin. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawai'i. Nocturnal, hiding in crevices by day in depths to thirty feet, emerging at night to rasp rocks. To one foot overall diameter. Hawai'i picture. 

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Family Echinometridae: Colobocentrotus, Echinometra, Heterocentrotus.

Colobocentrotus altratus (Linnaeus 1758), the Shield Urchin. Indo-Pacific; scattered from Africa to Hawai'i. Intertidal to six feet of depth. Eats algae in the surf/surge zone. Here above the water mark off of Kailua, Kona (Hawai'i's Big Island) airport coast. 

To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

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