Parasalenia gratiosa
©Anne Hoggett: Parasalenia gratiosa at Lizard Island lagoon entrance at night. Test diameter is about 2.5 cm.
©Anne Hoggett: Parasalenia gratiosa at Lizard Island lagoon entrance at night. Close-up of anal area showing only 4 periproct plates (one is marked with red arrow).
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Echinoidea
Order
Camarodonta
Family
Parasaleniidae
Genus
Parasalenia
Species
Parasalenia gratiosa
Status
unspecified
Colours
Distinguishing features
A very small urchin with an oval test and solid spines about as long as the longest diameter of the test. Spines are dark, not banded (except indistinctly in small individuals), often with a white ring at the base. There are only 4 periproct plates (rarely 3 or 5) but this is not a useful field character.
Size
- Up to 3 cm (Test diameter)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
species: Echinometra mathaei
Parasalenia gratiosa can be mistaken for a small specimen of Echinometra mathaei. Both species have a similar test and spine shapes and similar colouration. However, they are not even in the same family. The periproct of Echinometra is made up of many plates but there are only 3 to 5 in Parasalenia. -
Animalia:
species: Parasalenia poehlii
has banded spines that are only about half the test diameter (Clark and Rowe, 1971). Spines of Parasalenia gratiosa are about as long as the test diameter and are usually not banded.
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia: This species is quite abundant at Lizard Island but it is not noticeable because of its small size and cryptic nature. It emerges slightly from the reef at night.
