Psammechinus microtuberculatus explained

Psammechinus microtuberculatus, also known as the green sea urchin,[1] in the family Parechinidae. It was formerly known as Echinus microtuberculatus, and thought to be of the genus Echinus.[2]

Description

This is a small, brown, herbivorous[3] sea urchin nearly spherical in shape. It has with short spines greenish or whitish in colour. It grows to a maximum diameter of 5 centimetres.[3]

Distribution

Psammechinus microtuberculatus is found in the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Adriatic Sea and Aegean Sea.[4] It also occurs throughout the entire Mediterranean Sea, though very rare.[3]

Habitat

This species occurs in the benthic zone at depths of between 1 and 685 metres.[3] It prefers to live near sandy areas, and can be found on hard bottoms of mud or rock.[5]

Behavior

Psammechinus microtuberculatus is capable of protective camouflage. Under hypoxic conditions, it has been observed to discard its "protecting camouflages when confronted with low DO [dissolved oxygen] concentrations" in order "to increase mobility and/or reduce oxygen demand".[6]

Parasites

Psammechinus microtuberculatus is known to host the following ectoparasites:[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Psammechinus microtuberculatus . Natuurlijkmooi.net . 2012-07-21.
  2. Laubichler . Manfred D. . Davidson . Eric H. . Boveri's long experiment: Sea urchin merogones and the establishment of the role of nuclear chromosomes in development . Developmental Biology . February 2008 . 314 . 1 . 1–11 . 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.11.024 . 18163986 . 2247478 .
  3. Web site: Psammechinus microtuberculatus . Sealifebase.org . 2012-07-21.
  4. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species . Marinespecies.org . 2012-07-21.
  5. Web site: Psammechinus microtuberculatus, Sea urchin . Seadb.net . 2012-07-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120306085406/http://www.seadb.net/en_Sea-urchin-Psammechinus-microtuberculatus_1177.htm . 2012-03-06 . dead .
  6. Book: Riedel . Bettina . Diaz . Robert . Rosenberg . Rutger . Stachowitsch . Michael . March 2016 . Solan . Martin . Whiteley . Nia . The ecological consequences of marine hypoxia: from behavioural to ecosystem responses . Oxford University Press . 182 . Chapter 10: Stressors in the marine environment: physiological responses and ecological implication . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298791872 . 9780198718826 . December 27, 2021.

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