Rock-boring urchin (Echinometra lucunter)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Echinometra lucunter
- Common name
- Rock-boring urchin
- Category
- Echinoderms
- Family
- Echinometridae
- Genus
- Echinometra
- Size
- 5–10 cm
- Depth
- 0–15 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- rocky
- Behaviours
- nocturnal, herbivorous
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Macaronesia, Eastern Pacific
Description
Echinometra lucunter reaches 10 cm. Oval-shelled urchin black-purple to red-brown, relatively short stout spines. Remarkable behavior: carves hemispheric cavities in limestone rocks where it shelters perfectly, resisting the strongest waves. Thousands of these pockets on Caribbean rocky flats are its work. From 0 to 15 m. Common species on all wave-exposed tropical Atlantic rocks.
Photo of Rock-boring urchin
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Rock-boring urchin?
- Rock-boring urchin (Echinometra lucunter) reaches 5–10 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Rock-boring urchin?
- Rock-boring urchin is found between 0–15 m deep.
- Is the Rock-boring urchin dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Rock-boring urchin?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Rock-boring urchin?
- Found in: Caribbean, Macaronesia, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Echinometra
Other species in the family Echinometridae
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 213380)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2278861)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia