Sea animals without a backbone
Slate pencil urchin
Eucidaris galapagensisConservation statusNot Evaluated
DietAlgae, and sometimes coral
LifespanNot precisely known
Size and weightBody about 5 cm
A red-brown sea urchin with thick, blunt spines that look like pencils.
Thick spine
What makes it specialThe spines are thick and blunt, very different from the spines of other sea urchins.
Surprising factIn warm years it eats away at coral reefs, and so it changes the state of the reef.
PopulationVery common on the rocky reefs of the Galápagos.
Shallow rocks while snorkeling
Good to know: In the water, look but do not touch, even when it seems safe.