alrha

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there are 3 of these at New World Aquarium, one is all white (pictured below) one is off-white with light purple tips, and one has gray sections on its body - they all appear to be the same just with different coloration variations.
Any clue what urchin this is?
(FWIW they called it a "white pincushion urchin".)
 

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alrha

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both are in the Toxopneustidae family - leading me to be cautious as it may be toxic.

i was hoping the stripe in my picture would help IDing it, but i havent been able to find it on the pics online or in books (they arent that close up)
 

thepudge

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Haha, I bought one of those urchins from new world... I like it, keeps the glass (and unfortunately rocks) free of coraline and carries my hermit crabs around the tank. Doesn't seem toxic, i have held it a couple of times with no ill effects. When I bought it it was white, but now it is getting a pinkish ting to it.
 

alrha

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i like urchins to keep my tank clean. i feel like they do a better job than snails or hermits (and i really could care less about corraline).
so far i have 2 x Mespilia globulus (Blue Tuxedo) and now one "White Pincushion"
 

Deanos

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thepudge said:
Haha, I bought one of those urchins from new world... I like it, keeps the glass (and unfortunately rocks) free of coraline and carries my hermit crabs around the tank. Doesn't seem toxic, i have held it a couple of times with no ill effects. When I bought it it was white, but now it is getting a pinkish ting to it.
Simply holding the urchin will not cause you to experience to toxic effects. Only if you are punctured by one or more of spines, will the toxin be released from the poison sacs.

Excerpt: "Tripneustes ventricosus is in the family Toxopneustidae, the toxic sea urchins. The toxin produced is either injected into other organisms by way of the globiferous pedicellariae, or it is released into the water when the pedicellariae automise after use. Wounds are inflicted in humans by the spines. Sometimes small segments of the spinal epithelium cause a foreign-body reaction, causing either nodules or lesions to form which then have the chance of becoming infected. Although unlikely this is still a the threat for humans. (Alender and Russell, 1966)"
 

thepudge

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weird, I had no idea.. I will be more careful with this guy from now on. It would be hard to puncture the skin with his spines though, they are not all that sharp..

Deanos said:
Simply holding the urchin will not cause you to experience to toxic effects. Only if you are punctured by one or more of spines, will the toxin be released from the poison sacs.

Excerpt: "Tripneustes ventricosus is in the family Toxopneustidae, the toxic sea urchins. The toxin produced is either injected into other organisms by way of the globiferous pedicellariae, or it is released into the water when the pedicellariae automise after use. Wounds are inflicted in humans by the spines. Sometimes small segments of the spinal epithelium cause a foreign-body reaction, causing either nodules or lesions to form which then have the chance of becoming infected. Although unlikely this is still a the threat for humans. (Alender and Russell, 1966)"
 

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