Flower urchin

Description:

Flower urchins are relatively large sea urchins. They can reach a maximum diameter of around 15 to 20 cm. Flower urchins are among the numerous species of sea urchins known as "collector urchins", so named because they frequently cover the upper surfaces of their bodies with debris from their surroundings

Habitat:

Flower urchins are widespread and common in the tropical Indo-West Pacific.They are found among coral reefs, coral rubble, rocks, sand, and seagrass beds.

Notes:

It is considered highly dangerous, as it is capable of delivering extremely painful and medically significant stings when touched. Unlike most other venomous sea urchins, flower urchins deliver their venom through the flower-like globiferous pedicellariae. Arachidonic acid and α-linolenic acid present in flower urchins atracts crown-of-thorns starfish. It is believed that this discovery may be used to augment population control measures of the crown-of-thorns starfish, which are highly destructive to coral reefs.