Stats

Lifespan: 4-10 yrs
Size: Small
Diet: Filter Feeder
Activity: Cathemeral
Social: Solitary
Biome: Coastal ocean
Range: North America
Movement: Burrowing
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Armor
Status: Rare

About

This flat echinoderm lives partially buried in shallow sandy ocean floors. It uses tiny, hair-like spines to move sand grains and sort out microscopic food particles.

Life cycle

1.
juvenile
A juvenile urchin settles onto the seafloor and begins grazing algae with its tiny test and spines.
2.
adult
Fully grown, with adult test size and full spines.

Learn more

View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Order: Echinolampadacea
Family: Mellitidae
Genus: Mellita
Species: Mellita isometra