Black long-spined urchin
The black long-spined urchin is a sea urchin with very long, hollow spines. It lives on coral reefs, sand flats and seagrass beds across the Indo-Pacific, and it is one of the most widespread sea urchins in that region. Its spines can deliver a mild venom, so it is best to watch where you put your feet.1

Como recoñecelo
- Black, near-spherical body (test) with extremely long, narrow, hollow spines, often black but sometimes brown-banded1
- Five white spots on the body, which separate it from other Diadema species1
- A bright orange ring around the periproctal cone (the 'anal cone'), which is often mistaken for an eye1
- Bluish spots on the genital plates and a line of blue spots along the body1
- Adults are no more than 70 mm across the body and about 40 mm high1
Adoita confundirse con: Other Diadema species are similar in shape and spines, but they lack the five white spots that mark this species. Its orange ring and blue spots also help to tell it apart.1
Poder da pezoña
Ten espiñas afiadas que levan a pezoña. Pisalo ou collelo doe.
Que fai a súa pezoña?
The spines are hollow and contain a mild venom. The toxin mostly causes swelling and pain, which spreads gradually over several hours. The venom is not fatal to humans. The spines themselves are a bigger problem, because they are brittle and needle-like, break off in flesh and are difficult to remove.1
Que perigoso é para as persoas?
Perigo para as persoas: DolorosoPode doer moito, pero case nunca é grave.The venom is only mild, and the species is not considered a serious threat to humans. Stepping on it can cause painful stings.1
Que fai cando ten medo?
When threatened by a sudden impact or by spines snapping, it rapidly flips its body over and 'runs' on the tips of its longest spines.1
Se as súas espiñas se che cravan
- Mete a ferida en auga quente, tan quente como a persoa poida aguantar sen queimarse, e busca axuda médica para quitar as espiñas. Non as intentes sacar ti escarvando.
Chama sempre primeiro ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911). Isto son consellos xerais de primeiros auxilios, non consello médico. Primeiros auxilios básicos
Mantente a salvo
- Nunca toques, collas nin molestes un animal salvaxe, aínda que sexa pequeno e aínda que pareza durmido ou morto.
- Déixalle espazo. Se atopas un, mantén a calma, recúa amodo e déixao ir polo seu camiño.
- Se as súas espiñas se che cravan: mantén a calma, non te movas, chama ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911) ou vai rápido a un hospital. Lembra como era, unha foto axuda.
Non vai a por ti. Usa a súa pezoña para cazar comida ou para defenderse, e prefire con moito agocharse. Máis sobre como estar a salvo
En que lugar do mundo?
Que tamaño ten?
Canto mide?
Canto pesa?
mide coma 2 pezas de construción de xoguete en fila
máis lento ca un caracol de xardínQue tamaño ten Black long-spined urchin comparado CONTIGO?
Só son contas no teu navegador. Non se garda nin se envía nada a ningures.
Que rápido é?
Datos
It can move 760 mm in just 7 seconds by rolling and walking on the tips of its spines.1
It has no eye, but it has a diffuse light-sensing system that lets it detect light levels and the size and colour of objects.1
In 2006, living specimens were found off Turkey, making it the first invasive Erythrean sea urchin recorded in the Mediterranean.1
Goose barnacles of the genus Microlepas are known to live on it as parasites.1
It is considered one of the oldest living species in its genus, Diadema.1
Desmontamitos
Mito: Black long-spined urchins are deadly and their stings can kill people.
Verdade: Their venom is mild and is not fatal to humans. The main problems are pain, swelling and spines that break off in the skin.1
Para expertos en pezoñas
- Nome científico
- Diadema setosum
- Grupo
- Ourizos, estrelas e vermes
- Familia
- Diadematidae2
- Orde
- Diadematoida
- Continentes
- Océano Índico, Océano Pacífico, Mar Vermello, Mar do Coral, Mar de Filipinas, Mar Arábigo e golfo Pérsico, Mar de Timor e de Arafura, Golfo de Bengala, Os océanos
- Crías
- It is a broadcast spawner, releasing eggs and sperm into the water. Spawning happens seasonally or year-round depending on the location, and in some places it follows the full moon.1
- Perigo para as persoas
- 2 / 5: Doloroso3
De onde veñen os datos
- Diadema setosum (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Diadema setosum (iNaturalist): nomes e clasificación.
- Venom Wiki: o nivel de perigo, o tamaño típico e a velocidade estimada son nosos. Mira como os calculamos: Como valoramos o perigo.
Cada dato desta páxina ten un número que leva á súa fonte. Se nos equivocamos nalgo, sentímolo, somos fans dos animais, non unha revista científica. Dínolo en [email protected] e arranxarémolo.
Espiñas pezoñentas

