Taksonomi
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Order: Camarodonta
Family: Toxopneustidae
Genus: Tripneustes
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Collector Urchin
Collector Urchin
Echinometra mathaei
Echinometra mathaei
Habitat & Distribution : Coral reef, depths of 2 - 30 m, Indo-Pacific Ocean
Diet : Algae, periphyton and seagrass
Size: 10 - 15 cm
Lifespan: 5 - 7 years
Deskripsi
The collector urchin is usually dark in color, bluish purple with white spines.
Behavior
Unlike other sea urchins, the collector urchin is a nonstop grazer! Day and night! They love seagrass the most, and is most voracious on the months of November to January.
Reproduction
Fertilization is external and egg brooding is common, usually placed somewhere on its body
Communication & Perception
When a sea urchin is injured or dies, it releases a chemical signal to warn other urchins of the presence of a predator or other dangers. The other urchins can "smell" this chemical through their tube feet and quickly make their escape. They can also sense light (i.e. "see") that is absorbed in their spines.
The sea urchin has also been observed using physical contact with each other to communicate, especially in the presence of food, helping to keep their population stable in places with abundance of algae.
Predator(s)
Wolf eels (Anarrhichthys ocellatus), triggerfish, brittle star, and gastropod molluscs
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated
Fun Fact
It's known as the "collector" urchin due to its habit of collecting rubble, leaf fragments, debris and seaweed on its body. It's mainly hypothesized to have a photoprotective function, or to camouflage it from predators.
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