Banded Urchin

[Originally posted to the Moorea Coral Reef LTER (MCR LTER) Marine Life Encyclopedia]

Banded Urchin or Double-spined Urchin
(Echinothrix calamaris)

Photo by Gerick Bergsma

Banded urchins are distinguishable by their two types of spines.  Long, stout spines alternate with shorter, sharp spines that easily puncture skin.

	Banded Sea Urchins are found throughout the Indopacific.
	Inhabit reef flats and lagoons.
	Banded Urchins feed on algae by scraping rocks and other hard surfaces with their five teeth.
	Small fish (often cardinalfish) frequently hide among banded urchin spines for protection.
	Coming Soon - Moorea Biocode Database

Tongue Coral

[Originally posted to the Moorea Coral Reef LTER (MCR LTER) Marine Life Encyclopedia]

Tongue Coral or Boomerang Coral
(Herpolitha sp.)

Photo by Gerick Bergsma

Herpolitha is a coral which consists of a single large polyp, and can grow several feet in length.

	Throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific: from Africa and the Red Sea to Polynesia
	Reef slopes and lagoons
	Corals get energy through sunlight via photosynthetic symbionts (zooxanthellae) and plankton captured using stinging cells.
	The groove extending down the center of the coral (called an axial furrow), indicates the location of the polyp's mouth.
	- What are Corals? - Moorea Biocode Database

Synaptid Cucumber

[Originally posted to the Moorea Coral Reef LTER (MCR LTER) Marine Life Encyclopedia]

Synaptid Cucumber
(Synapta maculata)

Photo by Gerick Bergsma

	Throughout the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, as far east as the Society Islands
	Shallow, protected reef flats and lagoons, often in sand or rubble
	Sea Cucumbers sift detritus from the sand.
	Synaptid cucumbers have reduced tube feet, and move primarily by filling their bodies with water.  They are most active at night, but will often take partial cover during the day while they extend from their hiding spot and sweep the sand for food. Synaptid cucumbers can grow as long as 2 m (6 ft).
	Coming Soon - Moorea Biocode Database

Seastar Shrimp

[Originally posted to the Moorea Coral Reef LTER (MCR LTER) Marine Life Encyclopedia]

Seastar Shrimp
(Periclimenes soror)

Photo by Gerick Bergsma

Seastar shrimp, as their name implies, live on various species of seastars, including pincushion stars (pictured), linkia seastars, crown-of-thorns seastars, and others.

	Throughout the Indo-Pacific
	Reef slopes, reef flats and lagoons; wherever host seastars are present
	The feeding ecology of Seastar Shrimp is poorly known.  It is thought that they eat detritus and scraps from their host's feeding activities. They may also consume ectoparasites from their host.
	Seastar shrimp live their entire lives on seastars, often living in small family groups.  They frequently seek refuge among their hosts' spines, or by nestling in the grooves running along the bottom of a seastar's arms. Their color varies, matching the color of their host seastars, and may be predominantly blue, red or white, often with a white or cream colored band running down their back.
	Coming Soon - Moorea Biocode Database