Thursday 29 May 2014

#8 Sand dollar

#8 Sand dollar

Common Name: Sand dollar

Description: 
-Round
-Radial Symmetry
-Flat
-Disc-like
-About three inches in diameter
-Color: White/ Grey
-Exoskeleton
-On the top it has five petal-shaped loops, made of tiny holes in pairs (these are ducts that work as gills)
-Lives on sandy and muddy substrate

Taxonomy: 
-Kingdom: Animalia
-Phylum: Echinodermata
-Class: Echinoidea
-Order: Clypeasteroida
-Suborder: Scutellina
-Family: Echinarachniidae
-Genus: Echinarachnius
-Species: E. parma
-Binomial Name: Echinarachnius parma 

Ecology:
-The needles on top are soft, because they are covered by cilia (fine hairs). Its mouth is below, and five narrow furrows allow food to go to the mouth.
 -The tube feet of the characteristic water vascular system helps move the food to the mouth, as well as in burrowing.
-Burrow into the sand for protection and food.
-Often their skeletons will wash ashore after a storm.
-Become bleached white when washed ashore.




No comments:

Post a Comment