Do you have your next snorkeling or dive trip planned for next summer? Keep an eye out for one of the 950 species of sea urchins inhabiting our world's’ oceans from the intertidal to 5000 meters deep!

The sea urchin is also known as a sea hedgehog because their bodies are small, globular and spiny! They are found in varying colors of black, purple, red, blue, green and olive! The sea urchin feeds mostly on algae, and are prey to sea otters, wolf eel and trigger fish.

Scroll through this week’s photo blog to learn more about this beautiful marine species and then share your favorite one with us on our Monterey Boat’s Facebook page or in our comments section!

Sea urchin off the coast of Florida

Sea urchins are on average between 6 and 12 cm in size, but larger species have been recorded at 36 cm!

Purple Sea Urchin 

A sea urchin uses its tube feet to move throughout the ocean. They have hundreds of tube feet that are transparent and adhesive in design.

Sea Urchin in the Florida Keys

The sea urchins body is split into two surfaces, the oral and aboral. The oral surface contains the sea urchins mouth while the aboral surface contains its internal organs. The aboral surface is on the upper half of the sea urchins body.

Black Sea Urchin in Caribbean Sea

A sea urchin uses its long spine to protect itself from predators living in the sea such as sea otters, triggerfish and the wolf eel.

Sardinian Sea Urchin

The sea urchin has 5 calcium carbonate teeth and a tongue inside of its mouth.