Diadematidae

Diadem sea urchin ( Diadema setosum )

The diadem sea urchin ( Diadematidae ) are a family especially langstacheliger sea urchins ( Echinoidea ). You have up to 30 centimeters long, very sharp, thin, hollow spines.

Dissemination

Diadem sea urchins live on the coasts of tropical Indopazifiks, the Red Sea and the tropical Atlantic. One way the European Diadem Sea Urchin (Centro longispinus ) lives in the Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic.

Way of life

The animals preferentially in shallow water near rocks or coral reefs to a depth of about 30 meters. Some species live in seagrass beds or in the mangrove zone. During the day they hide in caves or crevices or urge to protect it from predators close to each other so as to form an impenetrable thorn forest. At night, the animals are active and graze algae from hard substrates from.

Predators

Despite their valor Diadem Sea Urchin by large pusher and puffers are eaten. The fish are biting off the barbs or attempt by a discharged with the open jet of water to turn the sea urchins. Also Whelks as the Red helmet snail eat Diadem Sea Urchin, dissolving their calcareous shell and with sulfuric acid.

Search Between their spines and numerous other animals protection, such as ctenophores of the genus Coeloplana, partners shrimp ( Palaemoninae ) and cardinal fish ( Apogonidae ).

Toxicity

Swimmers and divers can easily be injured by the spines of the sea urchin diadem. After the engraving can be felt usually an intense, one-half to four hours of ongoing pain. So far, no toxin has been isolated. Because of the reaction of the victims, a potentially neurotoxic poison is suspected, which is probably contained in the thin skin covering the spines. The brittle spines break off easily. Because of the rough surface and its fragility, it is hardly possible to have it removed from the wound.

Genera

  • Astropyga Magnificent diadem sea urchin ( Astropyga magnifica)
  • Red Diadem Sea Urchin ( Astropyga radiata) ( Leske, 1778)
  • Langstacheliger diadem sea urchin ( Centro longispinus ) ( Philippi, 1845)
  • Diadem Atlantic sea urchin ( Diadema antillarum ) ( Philippi, 1845)
  • Spinner diadem sea urchin ( Diadema mexicanum )
  • Savigny's diadem sea urchin ( Diadema savignyi ) ( Michelin, 1845)
  • Usually diadem sea urchin ( Diadema setosum ) ( Leske, 1778)
  • Kamar Diadem Sea Urchin ( Echinothrix calamaris ) ( Pallas, 1774)
  • Black Diadem Sea Urchin ( diadema Echinothrix ) (Linnaeus, 1758)
Euechinoidea John Edward Gray
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