Echinoderm Image Gallery

Close up view of a long-spined urchin with both white and black spines

Echinoderm is the common name for an animal in the phylum Echinodermata. The word "echinoderm" means "spiny skin." This phylum includes animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and brittle stars. All of these are marine animals with radial symmetry in their body shapes.

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Brittle Stars

Red Ophiocoma (Ophiocoma wendti) — Red Ophiocoma, Wendt's Brittle Star (Ophiocoma wendtii)

Spawning

[Photo credit: Sarah Davies]

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Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum) — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Resting on a bed of algae (Dictyota and Lobophora spp.)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/ FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Star sprawled across a coral with closed polyps — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Sprawled across Boulder Star Coral (Orbicella franksi)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Star on top of a coral ready to spawn — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

On a coral ready to spawn

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Star stretched across a gap between spawning brain corals — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Grabbing coral spawn

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Star grabbing spawn as the coral releases it — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Grabbing coral spawn

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Group of Ruby Brittle Stars piled on top of one another — Ruby Brittle Stars (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Gathered to spawn

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Stars piled up on one another atop a brain coral with several Christmas worms behind them — Ruby Brittle Stars (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Gathered to spawn

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby brittle stars piled up on one another on a brain coral near Christmas tree worms — Ruby Brittle Stars (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Males spawning (cloudy substance)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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white space — Ruby Brittle Stars (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Males spawning (cloudy substance)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Star raising itself up on its arms on top of a coral with open polyps — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Female spawning (tiny red dots)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Ruby Brittle Star sprawled on top of a coral with open polyps — Ruby Brittle Star (Ophioderma rubicundum)

Female spawning (tiny red dots)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Suenson's or Sponge Brittle Star (Ophiothrix suensonii) — Suenson's Brittle Star, Sponge Brittle Star (Ophiothrix suensonii)

[Photo credit: Marissa Nuttall/FGBNMS]

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Sea Cucumbers

Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa) — Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa)

Extended with feeding tentacles visible.

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa) — Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa)

Contracted with feeding tentacles visible.

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa) — Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa)

Extended with feeding tentacles splayed out

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa) — Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa)

Extended across the reef

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Beaded Sea Cucumber (Euapta lappa) — Beaded Sea Cucumbers (Euapta lappa)

Three cucumbers extended across the reef

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Five-toothed Sea Cucumber (Actinopyga agassizii) — Five-toothed Sea Cucumber (Actinopyga agassizii)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Five-toothed Sea Cucumber (Actinopyga agassizii) standing up on end — Five-toothed Sea Cucumbers (Actinopyga agassizii)

Spawning posture

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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A Five-toothed Sea Cucumber (Actinopyga agassizii) standing up on end in the midst of several sea urchins — Five-toothed Sea Cucumber (Actinopyga agassizii)

Spawning posture amid urchins

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) — Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) — Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) — Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) — Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) — Three-rowed Sea Cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus)

[Photo credit: John Embesi/FGBNMS]

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Sea Stars

Nail Sea Star (Mithrodia clavigera) — Nail Sea Star (Mithrodia clavigera)

Wedged in a crevice of the reef

[Photo credit: Steve & Brandi Miller]

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Sea Urchins

Purple-spined Sea Urchin (Arbacia punctulata) — Purple-spined Sea Urchins, Purple Urchins (Arbacia punctulata)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Purple-spined Sea Urchin (Arbacia punctulata) — Purple-spined Sea Urchin, Purple Urchin (Arbacia punctulata)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloide) — Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloide)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloide) — Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloide)

Wedged in a reef crevice

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloide) — Slate Pencil Urchins (Eucidaris tribuloide)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Small colorful fish hiding between the spines of a Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Providing protection for small fish

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) on bare rock with bright red shrimp perched nearby — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

With Red Night Shrimp (Cinetorhynchus manningi)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Close look at the top center of Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Mixed spine colors

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) with both black and white spines — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Mixed spine colors

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) with both black and white spines — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Mixed spine colors

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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A mostly white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) with a red crab resting under its spines — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Juvenile (black-banded spines)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Close up side view of a Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) with both black and white spines — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Mixed spine colors

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Cluster of Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) by a rocky formation and a sponge — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

A cluster at Stetson Bank

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Light and dark spined Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) side by side on the reef — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

Contrasting spine colors

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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A dark colored Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) resting in front of a tan coral — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) sitting on a brain coral — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Juvenile on brain coral

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Five Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) clustered on the reef near an orange sponge and corals — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) tucked between rocky ridges on the reef — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

Between ridges at Steston Bank

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Cluster of Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) spewing a milky white substance into the water around them — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

Spawning (cloudy substance)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Close up of two Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) spewing a milky white substance into the water around them — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

Spawning (cloudy substance)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Irridescent purple star pattern visible on surface of test between spines of Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Five-point radial symmetry visible in star pattern on top of test

[Photo credit: Emma Hickersonl/FGBNMS]

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Three Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) in the foreground with a large coral visible in the background — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Three Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) clustered on the reef near purple sponges — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Three Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum) clustered on the reef near purple sponges — Long-spined Urchins (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Side view of a white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) at night — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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A white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) in a bed of leafy algae on the reef — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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Close up of the top of a white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) showing irridescent purple star pattern between spines — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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A white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) atop a bright orange sponge — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

[Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS]

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A white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) next to a red and white banded shrimp — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Next to Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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Overhead view of a white Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum) next to a red and white banded shrimp with long white antennas — Long-spined Urchin (Diadema antillarum)

Next to Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

[Photo credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS]

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