Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (O F Müller, 1776)

Description: A medium-sized regular sea urchin found only in the northern part of the British Isles. Colour is greenish-brown with large conspicuous pedicellariae obvious amongst the spines. The spines are greenish with white tips. The tube-feet are in arcs of 5-6. Up to 8cm. in diameter.

Habitat: A typical shore form, also common in shallow water at sheltered sites often in fairly strong currents.

Distribution: Confined to the north of the British Isles, common in Shetland and recorded from NE coasts of Scotland and the North Sea.

Similar Species: The distribution does not overlap with Paracentrotus lividus and this is a more robust urchin than Psammechinus miliaris.

Key Identification Features:

• Low arched test.
• Tube-feet in arcs of 5-6.

Distribution Map from BioMar data for Ireland - Google Earth map:  download this placemark (not got Google Earth installed?)

Distribution Map from NBN: JNCC MNCR Seasearch data - Grid map : Interactive map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.