Urchins & Crabs

The Four-horned spider crab, Pisa armata, has a triangular carapace with several spikes, notably thr...

This pale, striated, long-spiked carapace is from an unidentified lobster or crayfish. 3 cm long. Ph...

Absolutely stunning carapace of the Marbled or Running Crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus. Squarish and b...

The Spiny Spider Crab, Maja squinado, has two big spines between the eyes, and a pear-shaped carapac...

Despite its name, this creature is actually a crayfish, Scyllarides latus. Its box-like carapace cov...

The Swimming Crab, Macropipus depurator is pinkish red, often with a deeper blush towards the eyes....

These lovely animals are Heart Urchins, Brissus unicolor. In life their bodies are covered with fine...

A small collection of Psammechinus microtuberculatos, better known as Green Sea Urchins. These range...

These fine little tests are the remains of miniature Sand Dollars known as Pea Urchins, Echinocyamus...

This beautiful purple sea urchin, Sphaerechinus granularis can be identified by the ten narrow slits...

When cleaned, the Black Sea Urchin has a pinkish test with red lines, but in life it is covered with...

This beautiful sea urchin, Stylocidaris affinis, resembles a rose, with its orange center and radiat...

An intricate pattern of grey and white decorates this lovely Heart Urchin. 4 cm long. Photograph ©Ja...

The bottom of a gray-and-white spotted Heart Urchin test, showing the oral opening. Photograph ©Jame...

This large Heart Urchin, Brissus unicolor, is 9 cm long. Photograph ©James Prineas, 2003

The sea urchin mouth is on the animal's underside, and looks like a sharp little beak pointing out o...