Spatangus purpureus
| Spatangus purpureus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Echinoidea |
| Order: | Spatangoida |
| Family: | Spatangidae |
| Genus: | Spatangus |
| Species: | S. purpureus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Spatangus purpureus O.F. Müller, 1776[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
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Spatangus purpureus, commonly known as the purple heart urchin,[2] is a species of sea urchin in the family Spatangidae. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, where it lives immersed in the sediment.
Description
Spatangus purpureus has a somewhat flattened test with a flat oral surface (underside) and a domed aboral surface (upper side). It is an irregular animal and not radially symmetric as are most sea urchins; there is a notch at the front and the mouth is forward pointing, while the anus is at the rear. It can grow to a length of 12 cm (5 in) and a width of 8 cm (3 in). The test is reddish-purple and there are two types of spines, many short, silky, purplish spines up to 1 cm (0.4 in) long, and fewer beige chitinous spines 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) long.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Spatangus purpureus is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel.[2] It lives immersed in coarse sand or gravel, but seldom in mud. Its depth range is from the shallow sub-littoral, where it occurs in wave-sheltered areas, down to about 900 m (3,000 ft).[3]
Ecology
This sea urchin is often associated with a small bivalve mollusc, Montacuta substriata, which attaches to the spines.[3]
References
- ^ Kroh, Andreas (2021). "Spatangus purpureus O.F. Müller, 1776". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- ^ a b c Perrier, Philippe; André, Frédéric; Pean, Michel (7 November 2020). "Spatangus purpureus O.F. Müller, 1776" (in French). DORIS. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Purple heart urchin (Spatangus purpureus)". MarLIN. Retrieved 22 September 2021.