Psammechinus miliaris
Also known as green sea urchin, shore sea urchin, P. miliaris, Psammechinus miliaris (P.L.S. Müller, 1771)
species of echinoderm
Species
green sea urchin
SPECIES
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumEchinodermata
- ClassEchinoidea
- OrderCamarodonta
- FamilyParechinidae
Habitatmarine
Unlike those infamous sea urchins in the Mediterranean Sea, the spines of the green sea urchin are not poisonous. However, should you accidentally step on one, it can inflict tremendous pain. Green sea urchins have an unusual chewing organ, referred to as 'Aristotle's lantern'. It is a small gripping appendage containing protractible teeth. You can compare the mouth of a green sea urchin to one of those games at a fair, where you try to grab something with a mechanical arm. The sea urchin crawls on top of its food and uses its mouth to scrape the bottom, tear off pieces or dredge it up.
via GBIF
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Psammechinus miliaris.jpg