Sea Urchin Stock Image

Sea urchins or urchins /ˈɜːrtʃɪnz/, archaically called sea hedgehogs,[1][2] are small, spiny, globular animals that, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. About 950 species of echinoids inhabit all oceans from the intertidal to 5,000 metres 16,000 ft; 2,700 fathoms deep.[3] The shell, or `test`, of sea urchins is round and spiny, typically from 3 to 10 cm 1.2 to 3.9 in across. Common colors include black and dull shades of green, olive, brown, purple, blue, and red. Sea urchins move slowly, feeding primarily on algae. Sea otters, starfish, wolf eels, triggerfish, and other predators hunt and feed on sea urchins. Their roe is a delicacy in many cuisines. The name `urchin` is an old word for hedgehog, which sea urchins resemble.