Side view of a Sea Potato out of the sand
The sea potato is a yellowish coloured and heart shaped burrowing sea urchin. Its body is covered with backwards facing paddle shaped spines which it uses to dig down into the sediment to depths of 15-30cm. A respiratory hole in the sand connects the animal with the surface where a depression in the sand signifies its presence. Tube feet on its underside pick up sediment from in front of its mouth and as series of long tube feet keep its respiratory tube open. This species is a deposit feeder and often has a commensal bivalve Tellimya feringuosa attached to its anal spines. The sexes are separate with external fertilisation occurring over a summer mating period
Underside: the dark reddish blobs are the specialised tube feet and the spade like spines onthe right are for digging.
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