Eucidaris metularia
Echinoids
©Vanessa Messmer: Eucidaris metularia on a diver's hand at Day or Yonge Reef. It was under a slab of rubble.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Echinoidea
Order
Cidaroida
Family
Cidaridae
Genus
Eucidaris
Species
Eucidaris metularia
Distinguishing features
Cidarids are commonly called pencil urchins for their thick spines. There are only three cidarid species known from the Lizard Island area and they are easily distinguished from each other.
Eucidaris metularia is the smallest of the three, with horizontal test diameter less than 30 mm. Unlike the other species, the plates of the apical area (uppermost part of the test) are conspicuous because the area is largely devoid of small spines.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Eucidaris metularia has not been recorded from Lizard Island itself yet. Several specimens are in the Australian Museum collection from nearby outer reefs (Carter Reef and Yonge Reef). They are always hidden deeply within the reef, at least during the day.
Web resources
References
- Clark, A.M. and F.W.E. Rowe (1971). Monograph of shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms British Museum (Natural History), London.