Evening star., 1934-02-14
SMITHSONIAN GETS
WEIRD SEA URCH|N
One of Most Conspicuous
Animals Discovered Given
Institution Here.

One OF the most conspicuous new
animals" which has come to light in
recent years has just been introduced
to science through the Smithsonian
Institution.
This creature is a member Of the
weird sea urchin family and appears
to be normally the largest member OF
the group yet found in the Atlantic
Oceana Abnormal individuals Of other
groups sometimes exceed it in size.
Found on Sea Bottom.
The animal was found on the sea
bottom south of the Dry Tortugas
and sent to Austin H. Clark, Smith
sonian curator of echinoderms, by DR.
P. Powers, University Of Pennsylvania
biologist. Its body covered with hun
dreds of sharp, barbed black spines
nearly foot long and with approx
mately 200 bright blue eyes arranged
in double rows, few weider animals
inhabit the seas than the new as
tropyga magnifica described by Mr..
Clark. The shell under the spines is
approximately inches in diameter.
That so conspicuous an animal
living in so thickly populated re-
sion-one Of the most intenSively
studied in the world by biologists
probably Is accounted for by two
reasons, Mr.. Clark believes First, if
its habits are at all comparable to
those of its nearest relatives in the
Pacific and Indian Oceans, 1t is
strictly nocturnal, coming out to for
Ae s.
low sea bottom only after light has
ceased to penetrate the water. Dur
ing the day 1t remains secluded, pos
sibly congregated in great numbers,
in holes and caves on the sea floor
and under the coral.
Second, 1t is quite similar In ap-
pesrance to a normally smaller men,
ber of the sea urchin race, with
spines a foot-and-a-half long. which
IS greatly dreaded and is even re-
puted to have caused the death Of
children who have fallen upon it.
Anybody coming upon a daytime
bed chamber" of these dreaded crea-
lures would be likely to leave them
strictly alone.
Eye Development Interesting.
From the standpoint of science,
this creature, judging from what Is
known concerning the race of which
1t appears to be the Atlantic repre-
sentative. is especially interesting for
the development of its eyes. These
appear to be true sight organs. If
hand is placed in the water near
one of these animals the long barbs
are Immediately pointed in the di-
rection of the intrusion, and as the
hand Is moved the barbs move. Such
an animal is practically impregnable.
It never takes the offensive, how
ever. 1t cannot throw" it's barbs, but
they enter the flesh easily and cause
painful local irritation. Some species
inject a virulent poison which may
even kill human being, but Mr..
Clark has been unable to find any
evidence that this particular creature
Is toxic.
The animal, which has more the
appearance of a porcupine than that
of any other terrestrial animal, is a
scavenger of the sea bottom, gather
ing end devouring the accumulated
debris that falls through the waters.
u never kills It's own food, so far as
is known. But it has five sharp teeth
in its mouth, located on its under
surface, with which it can chew away
the flesh of dead animals.
This sea porcupine, says Mr.. Clark,
has a peculiar system of locomotion
in common with most of its relatives.
It has literally thousands of sucker
like feet, which are hollow and
attached ~ nit ife
moves by forcing water through the
tubes and into the particular feet"
which it wishes to use. When they
are out Of use they are contracted by
withdrawing the water. Being a radi-
cally symmetrical animal, the creature
can move with equal ease in any direc-
ton. 1t has no head-that is, the
development of its nervous system and
the direction Of its locomotion is not
set in a forward direction, as Is the
case with vertebrates and insects.
Man Only Enemy.
Some members of the family also
have "hoof-hke" formations on the
ends Of their spines, with which they
are enabled to walk over the sea bot
toms, About the only enemy of these
fearsome Nightmares of the deep is
man. Some species are used extern
sively for human food. notably along
the Mediterranean coast and in the
West Indies. The developing eggs
are taken from the body and eaten
raw. Even If it should prove suitable
for human food, however. it is I'M
likely that the sea "porcupine" ever
will he a rival Of its relative tho 500
rabbit" as a food source. 1t is too
secluded in its habitat
This creature Is the first member of
its genus to be discovered for approxi-
mately $50 years. when the Pacific
and Indian Ocean representatives
were described.