Kythera-Family.net - for the world-wide Kytherian community: Urchins & Crabs

Crabs and their kin
The Arthropods are the largest phylum in the animal kingdom, and include insects as well as marine animals. Arthropods have symmetrical bodies and jointed, hard exoskeletons, with paired appendages, one of which forms a pair of jaws. The largest class of marine arthropods are the Crustaceans, which include barnacles, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, and crabs. Crustaceans, especially crabs, are plentiful in the waters around Kythera.

Sea urchins
The name echinoderm means ‘spiny skinned.’ These wonderful animals are symmetrical in five directions, radiating around a central mouth.

Echinoderms have been on Kythera for millions of years. Ancient members of this group, called Clypeasters, may be seen in the fossil section of the museum. Present-day echinoderms include starfish, brittle stars, sand dollars and sea urchins.

In life, sea urchins are covered with menacing spines that can cause painful injuries to swimmers who come too close. But beneath these spines are beautiful chalky, shell-like skeletons called tests. When cleaned, sea urchin tests frequently reveal elegant patterns in brilliant colors.

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	1	Four-Horned Spider Crab The Four-horned spider crab, Pisa armata, has a triangular carapace with several spikes, notably three longs pairs at the... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	2	Carapace of lobster or crayfish This pale, striated, long-spiked carapace is from an unidentified lobster or crayfish. 3 cm long. Photograph ©James Prineas, 2003 submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	3	Marbled Crab Absolutely stunning carapace of the Marbled or Running Crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus. Squarish and beautifully patterned,... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	4	Spiny Spider Crab The Spiny Spider Crab, Maja squinado, has two big spines between the eyes, and a pear-shaped carapace with rosy pink spots.... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	5	Flapjack Lobster Despite its name, this creature is actually a crayfish, Scyllarides latus. Its box-like carapace covers its head and thorax.... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	6	Swimming Crab The Swimming Crab, Macropipus depurator is pinkish red, often with a deeper blush towards the eyes. Crab carapace, 2 cm wide.... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	7	Heart Urchins These lovely animals are Heart Urchins, Brissus unicolor. In life their bodies are covered with fine spines, giving them a... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	8	Green Sea Urchins A small collection of Psammechinus microtuberculatos, better known as Green Sea Urchins. These range from 1.5 to 6 cm in... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	9	Pea Urchins These fine little tests are the remains of miniature Sand Dollars known as Pea Urchins, Echinocyamus pusillus. Bright white... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	10	Violet Sea Urchin This beautiful purple sea urchin, Sphaerechinus granularis can be identified by the ten narrow slits in the underside of its... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	11	Black Sea Urchins When cleaned, the Black Sea Urchin has a pinkish test with red lines, but in life it is covered with black spines that can... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	12	Rose Urchin This beautiful sea urchin, Stylocidaris affinis, resembles a rose, with its orange center and radiating petal-like knobs. 3... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	13	Spotted Heart Urchin An intricate pattern of grey and white decorates this lovely Heart Urchin. 4 cm long. Photograph ©James Prineas, 2003 submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	14	Heart Urchin underside The bottom of a gray-and-white spotted Heart Urchin test, showing the oral opening. Photograph ©James Prineas, 2003 submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	15	Large Heart Urchin This large Heart Urchin, Brissus unicolor, is 9 cm long. Photograph ©James Prineas, 2003 submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

	16	Urchin Teeth The sea urchin mouth is on the animal's underside, and looks like a sharp little beak pointing out of the oral opening. Like... submitted by Museum Administration on 14.10.2003

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Popular Urchins & Crabs

Green Sea Urchins

Despite its name, this creature is actually a crayfish, <i>Scyllarides latus</i>. Its box-like carapace covers its head and thorax. This one is 3 cm long. <i>Photograph ©James Prineas, 2003</i>

Flapjack Lobster