Invertebrates
Common Sea Urchin
Echinus esculentus · also called edible sea urchin
On a kelp-covered reef off the Scottish coast, a common sea urchin crawls across the rock on its tube feet, its pinkish spines bristling in every direction.
Overview
The common sea urchin, Echinus esculentus, is a Not Evaluated sea urchin of rocky seabeds and kelp forests in the northeast Atlantic. Its round spiny shell, Aristotle’s lantern, and place on the menu make it one of the most familiar urchins of European seas.
An urchin with a built-in rasp
Five hard teeth, held in a structure known since antiquity as Aristotle’s lantern, let the urchin scrape algae off rock and bite pieces from kelp.
Status
Not Evaluated globally, though locally common.
Common Sea Urchin: common questions
What is Aristotle's lantern?
It is a set of five hard teeth, arranged in a structure that scrapes algae from rock, found in sea urchins.
What does the common sea urchin eat?
It grazes on kelp and other seaweeds, and on encrusting animals such as sponges, barnacles, and sea mats.
Do people eat sea urchins?
Yes, the roe of the common sea urchin is eaten as a delicacy in parts of Europe.
Where is the common sea urchin found?
It lives on rocky seabeds and in kelp forests of the northeast Atlantic, from Norway and Iceland south to Portugal.