Strongylocentrotus fragilis

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Strongylocentrotus fragilis
Strongylocentrotus fragilis
Scientific classification
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A. fragilis
Binomial name
Strongylocentrotus fragilis
(Jackson, 1912)

Strongylocentrotus fragilis is a species of sea urchin of the family Strongylocentrotidae.

Description and characteristics[edit]

This is a regular sea urchin, with a spherical test bearing the anus and top and mouth on the bottom. They are somewhat flattened, and of pale pinkish color with white spines. It is a deep-sea species, and they can occur in great number where food is abundant.

ahStrongylocentrotus fragilis (pink) with some Strongylocentrotus pallidus (white).

Habitat and range[edit]

This is an abyssal species, occurring at many hundred meters deep on the western coasts of the North America.[1] They are distributed throughout the continental shelf and slope, being most abundant in the 200-300m depth range.[2][3]

Taxonomy[edit]

It was first scientifically described in 1912 by Jackson.[4]

This species is often referred as Allocentrotus fragilis, and its taxonomy is still under debate.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Andreas Kroh & Andrew Smith. "Allocentrotus fragilis". Echinoid Directory (Natural History Museum).
  2. ^ Sato, Kirk; Kevin, Lisa; Schiff, Kenneth (March 2017). "Habitat compression and expansion of sea urchins in response to changing climate conditions on the California continental shelf and slope (1994–2013)". Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. 137: 377–389.
  3. ^ Sato, Kirk; Powell, Jackson; Rudie, Dave; Levin, Lisa (May 2018). "Evaluating the promise and pitfalls of a potential climate change–tolerant sea urchin fishery in southern California". ICES Journal of Marine Science. 75: 1029–1041.
  4. ^ Kroh, A. (2010). Strongylocentrotus fragilis (Jackson, 1912). In: Kroh, A. & Mooi, R. (2010) World Echinoidea Database. at the World Register of Marine Species.