Animal Species:Pink Sea Urchin
This small delicate-looking urchin lives among kelp and often wraps itself in the fronds for protection.
A group of Pink Sea Urchins
Dr Isobel Bennett
© Australian Museum
Identification
The Pink Sea Urchin's tube feet are transparent and the test (body) and spines are pink-brown.
Size range
16 cm
Distribution
Pink Sea Urchins are found in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat
Pink Sea Urchins live on intertidal rocky shores and in coastal waters to a depth of 75 m.
Feeding and Diet
The Pink Sea Urchin is a scavenger and feeds on a variety of plants and dead animals.
Other behaviours and adaptations
Commonly found washed up onto beaches or in the bottom of rock pools after storms, parts of the Pink Sea Urchin's test ('skeleton') can sometimes be mistaken for shell fragments.
Classification
- Species:
- pycnotilus
- Genus:
- Holopneustes
- Class:
- Echinoidea
- Phylum:
- Echinodermata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Last Updated:
Tags sea urchins, echinoderms, invertebrates, wildlife of sydney, identification, marine,