Diving with Temnopleuridae Sea Urchins

Lanta Marine Life | Temnopleuridae

Temnopleuridae Sea Urchins are a family of around 66 species of spiny, spherical or globe shaped animals with hard shells which live on the seabed, and are often spotted during our Koh Lanta diving trips.

As with other urchins, members of this family have five equally sized parts radiating out from their central axes. The mouth is on the underside, at the base.

Each of the five equally sized parts of the urchin are represented on the outer body by groupings of segments or arcs with shorter spines, or no spines at all. In each case, however, five-fold symmetry exists with the arrangement and configuration of spines on the outer body.

As with other sea urchins, Temnopleuridae Sea Urchins are sensitive to touch, chemicals and light, however their light detection (eyes) are not as sophisticated as those in the Longspine Sea Urchins (Diadematidae).

1 species found on this page:

Blue Tuxedo Sea Urchin (Mespilia globulus)

Blue Tuxedo Sea Urchin

(Mespilia globulus)

Blue Tuxedo Sea Urchin @ Koh Haa

The Blue Tuxedo Sea Urchin has a blue, spherical body displaying five-fold symmetry. The body has 5 bands of short, densely packed brown or reddish spines, however each band may be further split into a pair of narrow bands, displaying 5 pairs of bands.

This urchin is often found with other matter stuck to its spines, bits of dead coral, other shells, living animals, or reef debris, and is locally referred to as a ‘decorated urchin’.

The Blue Tuxedo Sea Urchin grows to 8 cm in diameter and can be found on areas of dead coral, rocks and rubble on the reef, usually in the shallows, in direct sunlight.