Is there a venemous sea urchin

[JasonD]

I remember reading somewhere that there was a venemous sea urchin that will actually sting you if you touch it, and it sometimes is in the aquarium trade, does anyone know what it is?


Jason

 

[Superstretch18]

Toxopneustes pileolus (flower urchin)

The spines are not what you need to watch out for on these guys. They have pedicellaria that look like flowers and inflict a nasty sting.

Diadema urchins can give a nasty sting with their spines, which can break off and cause a nasty wound...

 

[Tangalong]

Don't know much about urchins...but when we lived in the Marshal Islands as a kid we went out on the reef at 0.0 tide and my brother fell and his hands landed on one of those long-spined black ones...it got infected and hurt a lot. Wouldn't want one of those in my tank. I don't know if they are the same type as people have. I'd ask before buying.

 

[circusink22]

long spine urchin,

 

[jm82792]

I've stepped on a dozen or so urchins.
The long spined ones cause a nasty burning/sore feeling that travels up your hand foot etc. The smaller rock boring ones don't inflict a sting,well in the times I've stepped on them

 

[Tangalong]

Are there still those purple ones all over the reefs? And there was one that when the spines hardened, were like petrified wood. Really pretty ... used as $$$$$ way back when. I don't see those offered at any online stores and wondered why. Any ideas? Just curious. Time does fly.

 

[YoungReefer06]

For what it is worth is has recently been shown that all sea urchins have venom, learned that in one of my marine zoology classes. Also, kind of related, it has also been discovered this year that all octopus contain some form of venom. Read about it in some scholarly journal on campus, forget which one.

Kyle

 

[Tangalong]

Any new info is always worthwhile and appreciated. Thank you for that youngReefer

 

[the droob]

Just about anything in the ocean that peirces the skin will inflict pain or cause infection ,mostly from bacteria so anything spikey ,BE CAREFUL, I had the spine on a prawns head ,the one right between their eyes stab me under my finger nail and the pain that followed was grim to say the least,could not move my arm for about 2 hours and about 6 hours before the pain started to subside.So keep asking questions and be cautious when handling marine creatures.

 

[zilofidelious]

ugh. I hate urchins, was in Croatia living for a few months on an island. was climbing back onto the dock and kicked m feet to have force and both feet went toe first into sea urchin colony. had to pull 30+ spines from each foot. Most broke under the toe nail. more pain than anything I have ever experienced and it last over a week. most spines dissolved or backed themselves out over time. a little off topic. Just needed to share that haha

 

[snorvich]

Fire Urchin (Asthenosoma varium) will fit your question. I don't think they are in the aquarium trade though.