The Banded Sea Urchin (Echinothrix calamaris) is a tropical sea urchin species that can be found in the waters of the Indo-Pacific region. It has been recorded in the Red Sea, South Africa, Hawaii, Mauritius, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Tahiti and the waters of northern Australia. This species is found on coral reefs and during the day time it generally hides in caves and crevices and emerges at night to feed on sponges, bryozoans, coral and algae’s. It is known to occur from depths of 0 to 90 metres.
The primary spines are banded with black and white bands however they are occasionally all white. Secondary spines are brown or black in colour and are the same length as the primary spines but are much thinner. This species should not be touched as its secondary spines are extremely fine and sharp with very venomous tips that can cause painful wounds. The Banded Sea Urchin (Echinothrix calamaris) has a maximum width of approximately 25 cm.
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