rhamphotheca:

Echinus tylodes

is a species of sea urchin in the family Echinidae. It is white with rather sparse pink spines and is endemic to the eastern coast of North America including the Gulf of Mexico. E. tylodes has a sub-globular test that is about two thirds as high as it is wide and grows to a diameter of 10 cm (4 in).

It is often found around deep-water corals, sitting on the coral branches or around coral mounds among the remains of dead corals. Examination of the gut contents of this species showed small shells and the skeletons of hydroids…

(read more: Wikipedia)              (photo: Dr. Steve Ross, NOAA/UNC)

amandamarieblog:

Red Sea Urchin with white Plumose Anemones 

Photos taken in Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada

Amanda Marie Photography    Like Me   My Tweets

rhamphotheca:

The Sea Urchin Cactus (Astrophytum asterias)  is today restricted to a single 200-acre site in Texas, where there are around 2,000 individuals and a few small sites in Tamaulipas, Mexico.

(read more: Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.)    

(photo: Dr. David Midgeley)

I don’t usually blog plants…

But it looks alot like sea urchin…

With all it’s roundy nubs and spines…

(…and it’s green okay??)

orbiculator:

rhamphotheca:

Dazzling New Sea Urchin Species Described

Simon Coppard, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and an Encyclopedia of Life Rubenstein Fellow specializing in echinoids often uncovers new species during his research. In 2006, he and a fellow scientist discovered and described Coelopleurus exquisitus, a previously unknown sea urchin species from New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

(via: Smithsonian Ocean Portal)         (image: EOL)

Exquisite, indeed.

Go home little urchin, you’re stoned…

ichthyologist:

Helmit Urchin (Colobocentrotus atratus)

The urchin usually lives on substrates that are fully exposed to the action of waves. Its smoothed, flattened spikes and strengthened tube feet are adaptations for its environment.

Ken-ichi Ueda on Flickr

OooOOoooh shiny urchin!

(via rhamphotheca)

rhamphotheca:

Purple Sea Urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) denuded an area in Monterey Bay (Northern California) of its kelp, over a 2 year period. Picture taken at 24 m depth. A Giant Spined Sea Star (Pisaster giganteus) is also pictured.

(photo: Lovell and Libby Langstroth)

I stand tall and wait for the day sea urchins rules the world with their spiny goodness.

blackkittenclan:

beauty in death.

(Source: bouncycastles-ishiding)

rhamphotheca:

The West Indian Sea Egg (Tripneustes ventricosus) is a species of sea urchin found in the Caribbean Sea and neighboring parts of the Atlantic Ocean. It is dark in colour, usually black, dark purple, or reddish brown, with white spines 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) long, and can grow to 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) in diameter.

(photo: Nick Hobgood)     (via: Wikipedia)

oldbookillustrations:

Sea cucumber, Sea urchin, Starfish.

Paul Flanderky, from Brehms Tierleben (Brehm’s animal life) first volume, under the direction of Alfred Edmund Brehm, Leipzig & Vienna, 1918.

(Source: archive.org)

(via rhamphotheca)

Cake Urchin (Tripneustes gratilla).

Also known as Cake Sea Urchin, Pin-cushion Urchin, Pincushion Tuxedo Urchin, Tuxedo Urchin, Pincushion Hairy Urchin, Hairy Sea Urchin, Short Spine Sea Urchin, Collector Urchin, Sector Sea Urchin, Gracious Urchin, Priest-hat Urchin, Jewel-case Sea Urchin and Sea Egg.

Found singly or in groups on coral and rocky reefs amongst sand, rubble and in sea grass meadows. Varies in colour from place to place. They feed on invertebrates, sponges and even dead fish. Length - 15cm Depth - 0-25m. Widespread Indo-Pacific.

Cake urchins have a blue, purple to brown body, short white spines sometimes tipped with orange, and brownish-red tube feet. In some years it can be abundant while in other years quite rare. This urchin has a habit of grabbing pieces of seaweed, shell or pebbles with its tube feet and covering itself. This may act as camouflage and protect it from predators and the sun.

Photo by Brian Mayes at Lembeh