"With this friend you need to be careful of his prickly spines. May I introduce to you, Wana the black-spined sea urchin."

Mahalo for visiting me!

Wana the black-spined sea urchin.

"Aloha! I'm Wana the Black-spined Sea Urchin. There are different kinds of sea urchins but I look different from them. I may grow up to seven inches (18 centimeters) in diameter. My body is shaped like a ball and is covered with long, movable spines. Underneath my skin lies close-fitting limestone plates, forming an internal shell. My long spines grow from these plates. I am called a scavenger because I feed on decaying matter. I also eat seaweed and living animals found on rocks and the sea bottom. My mouth is located in the center of my lower surface. I have five sharp teeth to chew with. Eggs and body wastes leave my body through openings in the center of my upper surface. I move by the pushing action on my spines and tube feet. I can dig holes with my teeth or by rotating my spines. The coral reef have a lot of food for me and my friends, please help to protect my home."