Species · GBIF taxon 2279044
Six-holed Keyhole Urchin
Leodia sexiesperforataAlso known as Six-keyhole Sand Dollar, Six-holed Sand Dollar
Six-holed keyhole urchins are highly specialized sand dollars characterized by six distinct, elongated slots that help them resist lift from wave action. They live just beneath the surface of clean, tropical sands, using thousands of tiny, hair-like spines to creep through the sediment and channel microscopic food toward their central mouth. When exposed by shifting currents, they quickly rebury themselves using coordinated movements of their specialized spines.
MarineBurrowingInvertebrate
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Diatoms
- Organic detritus
- Microscopic algae
Predators
- Bottom-dwelling fish
- Sea stars
- Crabs
ThreatsHabitat degradation, coastal development, and water pollution
HabitatsShallow sandy sea floors, seagrass beds, and quiet bays
Life spanUp to 10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyMellitidae
- SpeciesLeodia sexiesperforata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a flat, velvety disc with six distinct slots and a covering of tiny, moving spines.
- Support conservation
- Leave live individuals in the water; only collect completely bare, white skeletons found washed up.
Responsible observation
- Look for tracks: Search for shallow, winding trails in clean, fine sand during low tide or in shallow water.
- Handle with care: If lifting a live specimen, keep it submerged in water and return it gently to the sand.
- Check for life: Live individuals are covered in tiny, moving spines; do not collect them as souvenirs.
Close Relative (c) Sharon Mooney (see User:Edwardtbabinski), some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Image unavailableDistant Relative 
Distant Relative "Green sea urchin" by lightmatter is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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