WHATSTHATFISH
Sea stars & urchins

Ten-lined Urchin

Eucidaris metularia

Also known as: Hidden Sea Urchin, Knobby Sea Urchin, Mine Urchin, Pencil Urchin, Red-banded Urchin, Sea Hedgehog, Sputnik Urchin

Adult
@JarJar · Flamencon (El Queseir), Egypt · October 20121 / 1
01

Overview

Found singly, during the day, hiding in holes, hollows, and seagrass beds, venturing at night, foraging for food, over shallow reefs, sometimes at greater depths. Their spikes vary in colour.

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

Pattern
striped
Body shape
fingers

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, during the day, hiding in holes, hollows, and seagrass beds, venturing at night, foraging for food, over shallow reefs, sometimes at greater depths.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumEchinodermata
    3. classEchinoidea
    4. orderCidaroida
    5. familyCidaridae
    6. genusEucidaris
    7. speciesEucidaris metularia (Lamarck, 1816)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Cidaroida