by DementorS
Sea Urchins
- sea urchin shell is a hard substance but can be broken by rocks
- Spines have an indented base which fits like a ball-and-socket joint over a bump of the urchin’s spherical shell.
- Muscle fibers wrap around the bump and allows movement. Each spine has neural innervation. As a spine is stimulated, neighboring spines bend as well. So in a way the spines sort of communicate through the central nervous system.
- Most spines are solid with a blunt tip, but in some species, they are hollow with sharp tips. They contain a venom which can include a neurotoxin and/or a cardiovascular toxin.
- The spine surface is covered by a thin layer of tissue. The chemical composition of the spine is 94 percent mineral (calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and silica) and 6 percent organic matter
Spine Punctures
- Injuries usually occur from inadvertent contact with the spines. Initially only minor discomfort is perceived, but within 15-30 minutes the pain crescendos and can last for several hours.
- Fragile remnants of broken spines either remain within the skin or are extruded spontaneously. The skin responds by becoming red and swollen around the puncture site.
Toxin
- The flower sea urchin (Toxopneustes pileolus) contains a dangerous neurotoxin.
- the neurotoxin can produce numbness, muscle paralysis, respiratory distress and death.
- examination of the affected limb will often reveal puncture wounds and purplish tattoo-like coloration at the site of spine entry.
INTERESTING INFORMATION
Recognizing and Treating Sea Urchin Stings
Videos
Milo eats sea urchin by Neil Fisher
Sea Otter vs Sea Urchin in Canada’s Kelp Forests | One Minute Dive with Pew
Cute Baby Otters and Funny Otters – Just cute and funny
HISTORY
sea otter history
look to eating poisonous anamals for info on sea otter