Pincushion Hairy Urchin,Cake Sea Urchin, Sea Lamington – Tripneustes gratilla

, Pincushion Hairy Urchin,Cake Sea Urchin, Sea Lamington, Tripneustes gratilla
Depth: 0 - 75 m

Afghanistan, Alaska, Algeria, Andaman and Nicobar, Angola, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Arctic, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores Islands, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Cocos Islands, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Corsica Island, Crete Island, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, Galapagos Islands, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira Islands, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saint Martin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sardinia Island, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sicily Island, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uruguay, US Minor Islands, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Amvrakikos Gulf, Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Aral Sea, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Bay of Bengal, Bay of Biscay, Beaufort Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Bohai Sea, Cantabrian Sea, Celtic Sea, Chukchi Sea, Coral Sea, Dead Sea, English Channel, German Bight, Great Barrier Reef, Greenland Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Fonseca, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Halmahera Sea, Iberian Sea, Indian Ocean, Java Sea, Korinthiakos Gulf, Labrador Sea, Levantine Sea, Lingayan Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, Moro Gulf, Okhotsk Sea, Pacific Ocean, Pagassitikos Gulf, Salish Sea, Saronikos Gulf, Scotia Sea, Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmara, Siberian Sea, South China Sea, Southern Ocean, Thermaikos Gulf, Yellow Sea

The Pincushion Hairy Urchin, Cake Sea Urchin, Sea Lamington (Tripneustes gratilla) is a common and widespread sea urchin found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. This species is easily recognizable by its distinctive appearance and has become a popular subject of study in marine biology due to its ecological importance.

Description and Characteristics

Tripneustes gratilla boasts a robust, rounded test (shell) with a diameter reaching up to 10 cm. It is covered in numerous, relatively long spines that are typically a dull purplish-brown or olive-green color. The spines are often tipped with white, creating a striking contrast. A distinguishing feature of this species is its five prominent, white-tipped ambulacral grooves (radiating lines) that run from the oral (mouth) to the aboral (opposite) surface of the test. This distinctive pattern adds to its visual appeal.

Habitat and Occurrence

Tripneustes gratilla is a versatile inhabitant of various marine habitats. It is commonly found in the Subtidal, sublittoral, infralittoral, deep zone of the oceans from the lower limit of the intertidal zone (intertidal) to the shelf edge at about 200 m water depth. neritic. . This means it can be found in shallow, coastal areas as well as deeper, offshore waters, including the intertidal zone, tide pools/rock pools, and algae zones.

Taxonomy

Tripneustes gratilla belongs to the Class: Echinoidea, Order: Camarodonta, and Family: Toxopneustidae. This classification places it within the diverse and important group of echinoderms, which also includes starfish, sea cucumbers, and brittle stars.

Distribution and Occurrence

The Pincushion Hairy Urchin, Cake Sea Urchin, Sea Lamington (Tripneustes gratilla) exhibits a broad geographic distribution. It is found in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region, extending from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Pacific Ocean, including the Hawaiian Islands and the coasts of Australia and Japan. Its preference for the subtidal, sublittoral, and infralittoral zones of the neritic makes it a prevalent presence in these aquatic ecosystems.

Feeding

Tripneustes gratilla is an herbivore, primarily feeding on a variety of algae. Its diet consists of both macroalgae, such as Nori-Algae, and microalgae, including Dandelion. It uses its sharp, pointed teeth to scrape algae off of rocks and other surfaces. This grazing activity plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance and health of marine ecosystems, influencing the growth and distribution of algae.

Associated Species

Image References

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