Carinacea Kroh & Smith 2010

sea urchins with red sponge

Rock-borer Urchin; Echinometra oblonga

Rock-borer Urchin; Echinometra oblonga

Rock-borer Urchin; Echinometra oblonga

Flower Urchin close up

Flower Urchin Toxopneustes pileolus

Flower Urchin Toxopneustes pileolus

Flower Urchin Toxopneustes pileolus

Flower Urchin Toxopneustes pileolus

Flower Urchin Toxopneustes pileolus

Coelopleurus exquisitus is known only from around New Caledonia.

View of S. pallidus underside. Photo by Dave Cowles, Rosario, Jul;y 2000

Strongylocentrotus pallidus, about 8 cm diameter, captured at 110 m depth in San Juan Channel (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2000)

Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Green Sea Urchin These three S. droebachiensis were found on a dredge in Friday Harbor Photo taken by Heidee Leno. July 2002

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (left) is much smaller than its relative Strongylocentrotus franciscanus (right), and has shorter spines. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

The spines of S. purpuratus are only about 2 cm or less long, as contrasted with the longer spines of S. franciscanus.

This view shows the intricate network of plates and openings on the aboral side of the urchin. The periproct plates in particular are weakly held together and often collapse after the animal dies. The 5 gonopores are located in 5 genital plates arranged around the periproct. One of the genital plates is also the madreporite. Clicking the image will take you to a larger, unlabeled version. Photo by Dave Cowles, Oct 2012.

This species is often found within holes they grind in rock (probably over multiple generations) with their teeth and spines. They may even erode holes in steel pilings by flaking off rust. The photos above and below were taken at Little Corona del Mar, CA by Dave Cowles, March 2005

The species often covers itself with rocks and algae, which it holds onto with its tube feet, as seen in this tidepool at Dana Point, CA Photo by Dave Cowles, March 2005

These individuals in a Cape Flattery tidepool have covered themselves with fragments of shells and dead barnacles. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2010

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, Little Corona del Mar, CA (Photo by: Dave Cowles, March 2005)

Green sea urchin; Zee-egel.