The one word that probably comes to your mind when you hear urchin is...spines.
So, chances are you will be surprised to know that not all urchins are created equal.. Just check out this little fella I only heard about today:
Meet Colobocentrotus atratus, the spineless urchin 馃槃
The species occurs primarily in the wave-swept intertidal zones of the Hawaiian Islands and parts of the Indo-Pacific.
Commonly known as helmet urchin or shingle urchin, it's a really unique species that has decided to forgo spines, the one trait urchins are best known for.
Technically though, it does have spines, they are just not spiky like most other urchins.
Instead, they are flattened and form a smooth mosaic like surface around the body, which in combination with their strong adhesion provided by their tube feed makes them resilient against the strong waves that hit the shorelines they inhabit. Research has shown that they are three times more wave resistant than other urchins species.
Dunno about you but I really like their un-urchin like look. They look like a bizarre yet beautiful gem stone straight out of the ocean:
And here's a video showing them in action:
And another one:
Just hit helmet urchin on Google if you'd like to see more images and videos. The species is somewhat common in Hawaii do unlike other bizarre creatures I have shared there's plenty of multipedia for this species!
And as always, here's a link to Wikipedia if you'd like to learn more on the species!
Ok friends, this is it for today! See you soon with more crazy wonders of mother nature 馃榿
