The Echinometridae Family includes 28 species comprising 9 genus (Echinometra (10 species), Heliocidaris (6), Zenocentrotus (2), ...)

Phylum      : Echinodermata
 Subphylum   : Echinozoa 
  Class       : Echinoidea 
   Subclass    : Euechinoidea 
    Infraclass  : Carinacea 
     Superorder  : Echinacea 
      Order       : Camarodonta 
       Infraorder  : Echinidea 
        Superfamily : Odontophora 
         Family      : Echinometridae

Common name : shingle urchin, cliff-clinging urchin, helmet urchin or rock urchin

Aspect : shell in the shape of a flattened dome covered with purple "radioles" which form a sort of nested scales. This particular shape allows it to offer no grip on the waves. The lower surface equipped with powerful suckers which can retract or lengthen, in order to allow it to move or else to cling to rocks.

Feeding : periwinkle, other sea urchins, coral algae

Environment : warm waters, coastal rocks

Colobocentrotus (Podophora) atratus (Linnaeus, 1758)