About Pseudoboletia indiana (Michelin, 1862)
Pseudoboletia indiana, commonly called the pebble collector urchin, has a round white body covered with short spikes. The tips of these spikes may be colored white, pink, purple, or green. On average, this urchin reaches around 5 inches (130 mm) in diameter. This species can be found in Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, and Madagascar. It lives on the ocean floor at depths of up to 100 m (330 ft). The urchin uses ocean debris including pebbles, broken coral fragments, and seaweed to cover itself for camouflage. It also provides protection for smaller marine organisms, such as the miner’s urchin shrimp (Gnathophylloides mineri). At night, the urchin leaves behind the pebbles and coral it uses for camouflage and roams across the ocean floor.
