Purple-Spined Sea Urchin
Arbacia punctulata
- Group: Urchin
- Typical depth: 0–225 m
A hardy urchin of warm shallow seas, it grazes algae among seagrass beds and lagoon flats with its sharp, dark spines. It ranges from the surface down to a couple of hundred metres and uses its five toothed mouth, called Aristotle's lantern, to scrape food from hard surfaces.
Taxonomy: Animalia › Echinodermata › Echinoidea › Arbacioida › Arbaciidae › Arbacia
Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 158058.
FAQ
- How deep does the Purple-Spined Sea Urchin live?
- The Purple-Spined Sea Urchin (Arbacia punctulata) is typically found at 0–225 m.