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SPUTNIK URCHIN
The Sputnik urchin is a species of sea urchins living in the Indo-Pacific waters around a depth of 1 meter.
This ornate specimen is the “test”, the shell that protected the urchin’s soft body while it was living.
It gets its name from the appearance of its large spikes that protruded from the test, similar to the Russian satellite.
Urchins grow in 5-fold symmetry, which you can easily see by counting the sections of the test. Its well-developed jaws would have been in one of the large holes, facing down, which it used to feed on algae and invertebrates.
These urchins have also been known to use their tubed feet to climb onto the back of crabs for a ride.
informational video
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