Atlantic Purple Sea Urchin
Arbacia punctulata
Atlantic purple sea urchins inhabit hard-bottom habitats, reefs, and rocky coastal shallows in the western Atlantic. They graze across surfaces using a complex five-toothed jaw, feeding mainly on algae, sessile invertebrates, and organic debris. Strong tube feet let them hold firmly to the substrate while stiff purple spines deter many attackers. The body is enclosed in a rigid, rounded calcium-carbonate test beneath the spines.
- Type
- Water
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Atlantic Purple Sea Urchin