Echinocardium flavescens (O F Müller, 1776)

Echinocardium flavescens

Description: This heart urchin has a yellow colour to the tube feet and spines on the underside of the body. The frontal ambulacrum is not indented and there are scattered larger spines in the interambulacral areas of the upper side of the test. About 5cm in length.

Habitat: Lives buried in coarse gravel in the sublittoral region, sometimes with Neopentadactyla mixta or Ophiopsila annulosa.

Distribution: Frequent in suitable habitats all round the British Isles.

Similar Species: Other heart urchins are similar.

Key Identification Features:

• Heart-shaped test without groove at anterior end.
• Labrum long, reaching second pair of ambulacral plates.
• Some larger spines in the interambulacral areas of upper side.

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