Pencil Sea Urchin

The pencil sea urchin is immediately recognisable by its thick, blunt spines that resemble the shafts of pencils—far stouter than those of most urchin species. Found in rocky and coral reef habitats across the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, it grazes on algae and organic debris at depths typically between 5 and 40 metres. Despite its formidable appearance, this urchin moves slowly and poses little threat to divers; its main defence is the sheer robustness of its spine structure.