ECHINODERMATA : ECHINOIDA : StrongylocentrotidaeSTARFISH, SEA URCHINS, ETC.

Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (O F Müller, 1776)


Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis

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. Psammechinus has spines with purple tips.

Key Identification Features:

Distribution Map: NBN map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

WoRMS: Species record : World Register of Marine Species.

iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database



 Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (O F Müller, 1776). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=ZB3810 Accessed on 2023-12-06

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