Comment Of Museum Specimen Of Echinus
Distribution:
Echinus is a genus of sea urchins, a group of marine animals with a spiny outer skeleton. Echinus is widely distributed in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and pacific oceans.
Habit and Habitat:
Echinus is marine, found in the sea in rocky places.
General character:
- Echinus is commonly known as sea urchin.
- Body is globular in shape, somewhat Flattened at the two poles
- Forming distinct oral and aboral pales.
- Body is enclosed in a rigid globular shell or corona Formed of closely Fitted calcareous plates.
- Entire surface of the animal except the peristome and periproct is covered with spines articulated to the shell.
- At the aboral pole is a much smaller, aperture, the annus surrounded by periproducts.
- Numerous podia or tube Feet protect from the surface among the spines.
- Sexes are separate. Gonads are five large masses.
Economic Importance
Echinus:- Edible (gonads of both the male and female sea urchins) are eaten. Sea urchin species with orange gonads are preferred.