description Purple Heart Urchin Overview
The purple heart urchin, Spatangus purpureus, is an irregular sea urchin in the family Spatangidae. It lives buried in coarse sand or gravel in the eastern Atlantic, the English Channel, and the Mediterranean, with a range extending from northern waters south to Senegal and a recorded depth range from shallow sublittoral areas to about 900 metres. Its flattened, reddish-purple test has a heart-like outline.
help Purple Heart Urchin FAQ
What is the scientific name of the Purple Heart Urchin?
The Purple Heart Urchin is Spatangus purpureus. It is an irregular sea urchin in the family Spatangidae, rather than a round regular urchin.
Where does the Purple Heart Urchin live?
It occurs in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. The animal lives immersed in seabed sediment, often in coarse sand or gravel.
Why is it called a heart urchin?
Its test is flattened and heart-shaped, with the mouth toward the front and the anus toward the rear. This body plan helps it move through sediment instead of grazing exposed rock.
How does the Purple Heart Urchin feed?
It processes organic material within the sediment using its tube feet and specialized surface structures. Its burrowing and movement can disturb and aerate the seabed, but it should not be confused with a filter-feeding animal.
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