Name: Giant red sea urchin
Scientific Name: Strongylocentrotus franciscanus (Agassiz)
Family: Strongylocentrotidae
Group: Sea-stars, sea-urchins and sea-cucumbers
Class: Invertebrates
Size: 11-25 cm.
This inhabitant of the kelp community is one of the largest urchins there is. Its spines are sharp and long, with a size that can make up to half its shell's. Its colour can be red, brown or deep purple. The giant red sea urchin feeds on algae and matter that exist near the sea bottom. Like all sea urchins, it has got 5 teeth organised in a complex structure called Aristotle's Lantern, which, besides being a tool to help it when it feeds, enables it to dig holes to bury itself in. It is a most explored resource, especially in the USA, because of its eggs that are very appreciated. Another of its predators is the sea otter, which is able to control and maintain stable the number of individuals of this sea urchin population all by itself.
Photo by:
dic.academic.ru
Invertebrates
Temperate Pacific
