Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars: Echinoidea
Tuxedo Pincushion Urchin (mespilia Globulus): Species Accounts
Physical characteristics: The shell of tuxedo pincushion urchins is about 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) across and has five to ten broad bands of bright blue with bands of reddish brown spines.
Geographic range: Tuxedo pincushion urchins live in the coastal waters of Asia from India to southern Japan.
Habitat: During the day tuxedo pincushion urchins live among rocks and rubble as well as in crevices on coral reefs.
Diet: Tuxedo pincushion urchins eat algae and coral.
Behavior and reproduction: Tuxedo pincushion urchins hide during the day and look for food at night. They live alone rather than in groups. They camouflage their shell with found shell fragments and algae held on with hairlike fibers between their spines. These urchins reproduce by releasing sperm and eggs into the water, where they unite and develop into larvae which transform into young urchins that grow into adults.
Tuxedo pincushion urchins hide during the day and look for food at night. They live alone rather than in groups. They camouflage their shell with found shell fragments and algae held on with hairlike fibers between their spines.
Tuxedo pincushion urchins and people: Tuxedo pincushion urchins are used in home aquariums.
Conservation status: Tuxedo pincushion urchins are not considered threatened or endangered. ∎
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Books:
Carson, Rachel. The Edge of the Sea. 1955. Reprint, Boston: Mariner, 1998.
Niesen, Thomas M. The Marine Biology Coloring Book. 2nd ed. New York: HarperResource, 2000.
Periodicals:
Samarri, Fariss. "Helping Urchins May Benefit Coral." Sea Frontiers (winter 1995): 16–17.
Web sites:
Fautin, Daphne G., and Judy Follo. "Echinoidea." Animal Diversity Web. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Echinoidea.html (accessed on March 1, 2005).
"Sand Dollars." Seashells.org. http://www.seashells.org/identcatagories/sanddollarstypes.htm (accessed on March 1, 2005).
Additional topics
- Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars: Echinoidea - Six Keyhole Sand Dollar (leodia Sexiesperforata): Species Accounts
- Other Free Encyclopedias
Animal Life ResourceJellyfish, Sponges, and Other Simple AnimalsSea Urchins and Sand Dollars: Echinoidea - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Sea Urchins, Sand Dollars, And People, Long-spined Sea Urchin (diadema Savignyi): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS