Invertebrate
Six-pored Sand Dollar
Encope microporaAlso known as Six-holed Sand Dollar, Pacific Six-holed Sand Dollar
Six-pored sand dollars carpet sandy shallows along the warm eastern Pacific coast, using thousands of tiny, hair-like spines to burrow just beneath the sediment. They maneuver edge-first through loose sands, sweeping microscopic organic debris along specialized food grooves toward a central, downward-facing mouth. When strong tidal currents threaten to wash them away, these echinoids weigh themselves down by swallowing heavy mineral grains or tilting vertically into the surge.
MarineInvertebrateBenthic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyOrganic detritus, Diatoms, Microalgae
Predators
- Sea stars
- Stingrays
- Gulls
ThreatsCoastal development, sediment dredging, and bottom trawling
HabitatsShallow sandy sea bottoms, bays, and intertidal flats
Life span6–10 years
Classification
- FamilyMellitidae
- SpeciesEncope micropora
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.
Responsible observation
- Low Tide Etiquette: Look for subtle round depressions in wet sand where individuals rest just below the surface.
- Handling Live Animals: Leave live, dark, velvety individuals in the water, as exposure to air quickly harms them.
- Beachcombing Clues: Bleached, brittle white tests wash ashore naturally after the animal has died.
Image unavailablePredator 
Predator (c) Irina Mitine, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-bySame Family Close Relative
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