MIDTERM PBL Nat Sci 13

Tolosa, Aila Arielle S. LF1Z

SEA URCHIN

Scientific Name:

Sterechinus

neumayeri Genus : Strongylocentrotus Class : Echinoidea Order: Echinoida

The

sea urchin is nocturnal, hiding during the day and emerging at night to feed. Sea urchins can be found in both warm and cold water.

Whats interesting about it?

The sea urchin has its mouth on the bottom and its anal region on its top. The mouth closely resembles a claw and possesses five distinct plates that act as teeth. The sea urchin survives on its diet of both plant matter and other aquatic creatures like mussels, sponges and the remains of already dead fish. Without natural predators, sea urchins would eat entire kelp beds. Kelp beds house other organisms who would die if the sea urchin population was not controlled. They are among the longest living animals on earth. They can live and reproduce for two hundred years or more. Sea urchins are able to clone themselves. A sea urchin has no brain. Instead it has a nerve ring, used to power its tube feet.

Where does it live?

The

sea urchin in found across the ocean floors worldwide, but rarely in the colder, polar regions. Sea urchins are commonly found along the rocky ocean floor in both shallow and deeper water and sea urchins are also inhabiting commonly found coral reefs.
They

live in shallow waters and carry small rocks, pieces of shells, kelp, and anemones on their back for shade and camouflage.

What does it eat?

urchins eat algae off of hard surfaces. Most of the time they eat seaweed. Sometimes they eat bits of plants and small animals. Their mouth is located on the bottom of their body. Sea urchins have hundreds of tiny, tubed feet. They have five teeth in the middle of their back side. Sea urchins use these teeth to pull, tear and rip off algae on the rocks. These teeth continue to grow throughout the sea urchin's life.
Sea

red and purple sea urchins feeding on drift kelp

A sea urchins feeding on alien algae.

Predators

Sea urchins are eaten by crabs, sunflower stars, snails, sea otters, some birds, fish (including wolf eels), and people.

A Crab eating a sea urchin.

sea otter eating a sea urchin

wolf-fish eating a sea urchin

Threats from man

In

cuisines around the Mediterranean, It is often eaten raw, with lemon. It can also flavor omelettes, scrambled eggs, fish soup, mayonnaise. In Chile, it is served raw with lemon, onions, and olive oil.

In Japan, sea urchin is known as uni and it is served raw as sashimi or in sushi, with soy sauce and wasabi.

It is exported, mostly to Japan, in Maine, sea urchins are known aswhores' eggs. It was formerly a delicacy in the Orkney Islands, used instead of butter.

References

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_scientific_name_for_a_sea_urchin http://a-z-animals.com/animals/sea-urchin/ http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sea_urchin http://www.ehow.com/facts_5475717_sea-urchin-habitat.html http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/explorer/animals/marine_invertebrates/echinoderms/sea_urchins http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_Sea_Urchins_eat http://library.thinkquest.org/J001418/urchin.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_urchin

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5714991_interesting-sea-urchin.html

Photos

http://www.brandoncole.com/photos_kelps_algaes.htm http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/hawaii/explore/the-nature-conservancy-inhawaii----sea-urchins-to-the-rescue.xml http://www.oceancaresolutions.com/blog/pacific-coast-sea-urchin http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/wallpaper/photography/photos/underwater-creatures/crab-urchinsgrall/ http://paula-lindblom.blogspot.com/2009/11/wolf-fish-eating-sea-urchin.html http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQppzJLR3WGybFt1Xt6L7UofznFOVo9qbuFHdUDTvKDaz2WKyR http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/echinoderm/Seaurchin.shtml

http://foodloversodyssey.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/05/ricci-di-mare-in-porto-badisco-puglia.html