At 4-5 cms in diameter it is quite a small sea urchin. The shell or test is slightly flattened and there is an overall greenish colour. The tips of the spines are violet.
It is the most likely encountered sea urchin on the sea shore and is associated with sheltered pools fringed in Corallina. This is an urchin which grazes on algae but also consumes some sessile animals. It is known to feed on barnacles, hydroids and sponges.
The Green Sea Urchin is a common species in the lower shores of rocky seashores. It prefers sheltered shores and is common in the shallow waters of sea lochs. It rests under large stones. Found all round the British Isles its distribution extends north into Scandinavia and south to Morocco. It is not found in the Mediterranean.
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