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Sea urchins or urchins (/ ˈ ɜːr tʃ ɪ n z /) are typically spiny, globular animals, echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species live on the seabed, inhabiting all oceans and depth zones from the intertidal to 5,000 metres (16,000 ft; 2,700 fathoms). [1] Their tests (hard shells) are round and spiny, typically from 3 to 10 cm (1 ...
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.
The water vascular system is a series of canals through which fluid moves to help propel the podia of the sea urchin. The fluid that fills the water vascular system is similar to marine water, but also has free wandering cells and organic compounds such as proteins and a high concentration of potassium ions when compared to the surrounding sea ...
Echinus is a genus of sea urchins.Sea urchins are echinoderms that are typically spherical or flattened with a covering of spine-like structures. Sea urchins tend to be important members of their ecosystems by grazing on other organisms and stabilizing populations.
Diadema antillarum has a "shell," similar to most other sea urchins. What distinguishes the Diadema is the length of its spines. Most sea urchin spines are 1–3 cm, but the spines in this species are usually 10–12 cm in length, and can grow as long as 30 cm in very large individuals.
The sea urchin is the first animal with a sequenced genome that (1) is a free-living, motile marine invertebrate; (2) has a bilaterally organized embryo but a radial adult body plan; (3) has the endoskeleton and water vascular system found only in echinoderms; and (4) has a nonadaptive immune system that is unique in the enormous complexity of ...
Various bottom feeding fish feed on the young sea urchins. In Jamaica, the queen triggerfish, (Balistes vetula), is the main predator. [5] During their first year, young urchins increased their diameter by about 7 millimetres (0.28 in) a month. Growth slowed thereafter and halted completely after maturity was reached while the gonads were ripening.
Echinometra oblonga generally live in rougher-water areas of tropical reefs. [2] To protect themselves from the force of the waves, they live in the holes of the reef, but they also live on exposed reef flats. [2] As the urchin grows, they use their jaws to help enlarge holes in the reef.