Sea Urchin Facts

Are you often bamboozled by the numerous beautiful and mysterious marine animals? Sea is mystical and often associated with fascination and beauty. With its every tide, sea recites a story. And the marine animals residing inside also sing the same story. They are unusual, unique and astonishing, available in a countless number. One of the most fascinating and gorgeous marine animals is sea urchin. Associated with a group known as echinoderms, sea urchins are menacing and lethal creatures. They have five-fold symmetry and move on hundreds of hydraulically operated tube feet, just like the sea star. Mostly found in the Western Australia’s marine parks, intertidal habitats and in shallow reefs, these marine animals come in a variety of colors like green, purple, red and black. The eggs of sea urchin carry properties which are quite important for conducting medical research. Most of the sea urchins are spherical in shape with a case or shell that is of close-fitted limy plates. Sea urchins protect themselves from predators with the help of the spines present on their body. Learn some more interesting facts about sea urchins in the following lines.

Interesting Facts About Sea Urchin

Sea urchin belongs to a group called Echinodermata phylum, Echinoidea class and order Echinoida. Sea cucumber and sand dollar are also members of the same family.
They are found all around the globe in almost 200 varieties.
They mostly reside in the deep portions of the ocean, but are found in the shallow portions too.
Sea urchins love to live in coral reefs areas, also in the tidal waves prone areas.
They have a globular structure with extending long spikes from their bodies. These spikes are sticky in nature and help the sea urchins to fight with the predators.
The average size of these marine animals is around 4-5 inches.
Sea urchins have 5 teeth. The fat hanging structure present at the opening of the mouth resembles a tongue.
Despite the fact that there is no locomotive organ or structure on the body of the sea urchin, it still moves in the water. According to experts, the movement is done with the help of the spikes and small tube feet.
Sea urchins react instantly, even at the slightest movement in their vicinity.
Red sea urchins are the longest living ones out of the great variety present.
Sea urchins are omnivorous, as they eat both plants and animal matter. They eat whatever they conveniently find in the sea. However, their favorite food is algae. Sea urchins are one of the main causes of the algae regulation in the oceans.
Humans are the main predators of sea urchins as they are strong in aphrodisiacs. Sea urchins are eaten as sushi called “Uni”, especially in Japan.
Sea urchins have quite a unique way of reproduction. The male sea urchin releases the sperms in the water and female releases the eggs nearby the sperm. If they both meet, a new sea urchin is born. This releasing of eggs and sperms is carried out in groups.

Agreed, sea urchin is one of the mysterious marine animals. But with the above facts in your kitty, this marine animal won’t be too mysterious any longer.

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