WHATSTHATFISH
Sea stars & urchins

Blue-black Urchin

Echinothrix diadema

Also known as: Black Diadem Sea Urchin, Blue-black Sea Urchin, Dark Coloured Sea Urchin, Diadema Urchin, Sea Hedgehog

VenomousKeep your distance
Adult
@fishx6 · Hawaiian Islands, United States · June 20161 / 3
01

Overview

Found in shallow waters, hiding during the day, amongst coral, rubble and sandy areas of bays and lagoons. Moving around the reef and night, searching for prey.
They feed nocturnally, on corals, dead fish, invertebrates and sponges.

Sea Urchins use tubed feet to get around, often in large impenetrable masses for protection.
Sometimes they hitch a lift on the back of crabs.
They have well developed jaws for grinding their prey.
Their anus is on top in most sea urchins, except the heart urchins where it is at the rear.
Predators of sea urchins are triggerfish and large wrasses, who nibble away at their spines before turning them over to eat the fleshy undersides.
Sea Urchins are highly venomous and can pierce through a wet-suit.
Some are sensitive to light and have the ability to shoot venom loaded spines at a short distance.
They are to be avoided.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Body shape
spines

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Dive site · 1
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found in shallow waters, hiding during the day, amongst coral, rubble and sandy areas of bays and lagoons.

04

Adult photos 3

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumEchinodermata
    3. classEchinoidea
    4. orderDiadematoida
    5. familyDiadematidae
    6. genusEchinothrix
    7. speciesEchinothrix diadema (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Sea Urchins (Diadematidae)