Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Striped sea urchin
Tripneustes gratilla
photo by Batoy, Corazon B.

Family:  Toxopneustidae ()
Max. size:  10 cm WD (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthic; marine; depth range 0 - 75 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: from east Africa to southeast Asia, north to South Korea, Japan and Hawaii, south to Australia and New Zealand, to as far east as Galapagos Islands.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Intertidal to subtidal (Ref. 106729). Inhabits shallow seagrass beds at depths of 1 to 30 m (Ref. 800). Also on rubble (Ref. 106121)and coral reef areas (Refs. 106724, 106728, 106735) like reef lagoons (Ref. 106729). Tripneustes gratilla elatensis: occurs in inland salt-ponds tolerating salinities greater than 45 ppm at 15°C (Ref. 2940). Feeds on macroalgae, seagrass, diatoms and coral tissue scraped from rocks (Ref. 2944). Omnivore (Ref. 116259). Grazing species. Dwells among rocks and boulders. Utilizes floating seaweed as cover (Ref. 129602).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 

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