Metalia spatagus
©Anne Hoggett: Test of heart urchin Metalia spatagus found on beach at Lizard Island. Enlarge photo to see distinctive pale narrow line enclosing the petals (the peripetalous fasciole).
©Anne Hoggett: Metalia spatagus test found on beach at Lizard Island. Note the peripetalous fasciole.
©Anne Hoggett: Underside of test of Metalia spatagus found on beach at Lizard Island. Note the large rounded peristome (plated structure that surrounds mouth).
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Echinoidea
Order
Spatangoida
Family
Brissidae
Genus
Metalia
Species
Metalia spatagus
Colours
Distinguishing features
Features of the denuded test are necessary to determine heart urchins - see photo captions. In life, this species has short spines that are relatively uniform in length and it is light yellowish brown (Miskelly, 2002).
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: Apparently uncommon as there are few records of it from this area, but that may be because it lives buried in sand.
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Clark, A.M. and F.W.E. Rowe (1971). Monograph of shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms British Museum (Natural History), London.
Other references
- Miskelly, A. (2002). Sea Urchins of Australia and the Indo-Pacific 180 pp. Capricornia Publications, Sydney, Australia.