Purple Spined Sea Urchin

Arbacia punctulata

This animal is usually found on rocks or shells of the deep salt-waters in the coast of Massachusetts to the Caribbean and Cape Cod to the West Indies. They are also known to be in the domain of Eukarya, kingdom of Animalia, phylum of Echinodermata , and a class of Echinoidea. This species are also found in the order of Echinoidea, a family of Asteriidae, genus of Arbacia, and a species of punctulata. They also have radial symmetry. Meaning that if you could divide this organism in half, it would be a mirror reflection of each half, and you would be able to fold the halves anywhere on the body. This species has long spikes (spines) that are purple and they are small. One structural adaptation this species has is its long spines to scare away predators. Another structural adaptation the Purple Spined Sea Urchin has is the dark purple color to camouflage with the black rocks. A behavioral adaptation they have is being nocturnal and night hunting. Did you know that the Purple Spined Sea Urchin has plates that scrape algae off rocks and after too much use, the plates can regenerate? The predators of this organism are humans, crabs, snails, birds, fish, and sea otters. The prey of this organism are plants, dead fish, sponges, mussels, and kelp. They are also heterotrophic meaning that they consume both plants and meat. This animal is endothermic, or commonly put to words as warm-blooded or being able to not change body temperature when its environment changes.

By: Meredith M

Picture from: Ashley Hall Learning Commons