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Fire Urchin
Asthenosoma varium
6.95014, 125.669
Field Notes
Description:
Fire urchins (a.k.a. Varium Sea Urchin) have very short but very potently poisonous spines. And yet, it is not uncommon to find commensal shrimp (especially the Coleman shrimp) and/or crab upon them. They vary in color (but in the Davao Gulf, they are mostly red) and grow to a diameter of about 25cm. They feed on invertebrates, sponges and even dead fish.
Habitat:
Found singly or in groups on sand and rubble areas in open waters, shallow or deep. The deepest I've spotted a fire urchin was at around 35m. Widespread in the Indo-Pacific region.
Notes:
I photographed this particular urchin during a day dive at a depth of less than 8m, near the shore.
Species ID Suggestions
Spotted for Missions
Photographed
PublishedDecember 7, 2011
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