Sea urchins or
urchins , archaically called
sea hedgehogs, are small,
spiny, globular animals that, with their close kin, such as
sand dollars, constitute the class
Echinoidea of the
echinoderm phylum. About 950 species of echinoids inhabit all oceans from the intertidal to 5000 m deep. The shell, or "test", of sea urchins is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull shades of green, olive, brown, purple, blue, and red. Sea urchins move slowly, and feed on mostly
algae.
Sea otters,
starfish,
wolf eels,
triggerfish, and other
predators hunt and feed on sea urchins. Their
roe is a delicacy in many cuisines. The name "urchin" is an old word for
hedgehog, which sea urchins resemble.