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Toxopneustes pileolus, commonly known as the flower urchin, is a widespread and commonly encountered species of sea urchin from the Indo-West Pacific. It is considered highly dangerous, as it is capable of delivering extremely painful and medically significant stings when touched.
[4] [1] The injury may show small purple or black dots or staining of the skin from the natural dye inside the sea urchin. [4] [1] These symptoms generally subside with complete removal of the spines. [4] About 80 of the 600 unique species of sea urchins contain poisons, but they generally do not cause significant harm to humans. [5]
They are known to possess medically significant venom to humans on their pedicellariae (tiny claw-like structures). They are sometimes collectively known as flower urchins , after the most widespread and most commonly encountered species in the genus, the flower urchin ( Toxopneustes pileolus ).
Sea urchins in Israel's Gulf of Eilat have been dying off at an alarming rate, researchers announced Wednesday — a development that threatens the Red Sea’s prized coral reef ecosystems.
For marine scientists, it was deja vu: Another die-off swept through the region in the 1980s and slashed sea urchin populations by around 98%. Mystery solved: Scientists ID Caribbean sea urchin killer
Expert warns urchins vital to coral reef ecosystems now ‘functionally extinct’ in Red Sea Mysterious plague is wiping out sea urchins across the globe, scientists say Skip to main content
Like other venomous sea urchins, the venom of Diadema setosum is only mild and not at all fatal to humans. The toxin mostly causes swelling and pain, and gradually diffuses over several hours. More danger is presented by the delivery system – the urchin's spines which are extremely brittle and needle-like.
Asthenosoma varium is a sea urchin (an echinoderm, a member of the phylum that also includes star fish). Growing up to 25 cm (10 in) in diameter, it lives on sand and rubble sea bottoms in the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to Australia and Southern Japan. Its venom tipped spines, with distinctive globular swellings below the tip, can inflict a ...