WHATSTHATFISH
Sea stars & urchins

Flower Urchin

Toxopneustes pileolus

Also known as: Flower Sea Urchin, Flower Tip Urchin, Sea Hedgehog, Toxic Sea Urchin

VenomousKeep your distance
Adult
@blogie · Isla Reta Beach Resort, Talikud Island, Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines · October 20111 / 5
01

Overview

Found singly or in groups, often covered in detritus, over rubble, sand, and seagrass beds, of shallow bays, lagoons and coral reefs.

These beautiful sea urchins are extremely venomous and can be fatal, the sting comes from the petal like flowers.

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 piece through a wet-suit.
Some are sensitive to light and have the ability to shoot venom loaded spines at a short distance.
To be avoided.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Body shape
flowers

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific, Southeast Atlantic
  • Country only · 5
LIVES IN

Found singly or in groups, often covered in detritus, over rubble, sand, and seagrass beds, of shallow bays, lagoons and coral reefs.

04

Adult photos 5

05

Discussion 1

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1 comment

  • Dr ASV PRASAD· 18 Jun 2020

    Pedicillaria are important in injecting the venom in flower sea urchin whereas it is the spine in case of other poisonous sea urchins.

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FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumEchinodermata
  3. classEchinoidea
  4. orderCamarodonta
  5. familyToxopneustidae
  6. genusToxopneustes
  7. speciesToxopneustes pileolus (Lamarck, 1816)

SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

06

More in the family

Sea Urchins (Toxopneustidae)