Heart Urchin

Brissopsis lyrifera

• Group: Urchin
• Typical depth: 4–1500 m

Rather than a domed shell, this heart urchin is oval and burrows just under the muddy seabed, sifting organic particles from the sediment it lives in. It turns up offshore from a few metres down to roughly 1,500 metres.

Taxonomy: Animalia › Echinodermata › Echinoidea › Spatangoida › Brissidae › Brissopsis

Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 124373.