Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)

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Live Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)
Please note this is a live marine specimen.

The Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) is a spiny echinoderm commonly found in Maine’s shallow coastal waters, where it attaches to rocks and crevices along the seabed. Despite its name, this species often displays rich purple to green hues, with sharp spines radiating from its round shell. Green urchins are vital grazers in coastal ecosystems and serve as excellent study specimens for marine biology, aquaculture, and anatomy education. Sustainably hand-collected from the Gulf of Maine, each live specimen is shipped fresh for classroom use, aquariums, or research.

Key Facts:
Common name: Green sea urchin
Scientific name: Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis
Locations: Shallow waters of the coast, attached to rocks, in cracks and crevices
Seasonality: Available all year
Color: Purple (often with green or brown tones)
Size: 3” – 5”
Collected: By hand
Quantity: Sold by the each
Note: This is a live marine specimen. Natural variations in size, color, and appearance from photos should be expected. If you would like any specimen preserved, please send a request to: info@gulfofme.com

Live Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis)
Please note this is a live marine specimen.

The Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) is a spiny echinoderm commonly found in Maine’s shallow coastal waters, where it attaches to rocks and crevices along the seabed. Despite its name, this species often displays rich purple to green hues, with sharp spines radiating from its round shell. Green urchins are vital grazers in coastal ecosystems and serve as excellent study specimens for marine biology, aquaculture, and anatomy education. Sustainably hand-collected from the Gulf of Maine, each live specimen is shipped fresh for classroom use, aquariums, or research.

Key Facts:
Common name: Green sea urchin
Scientific name: Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis
Locations: Shallow waters of the coast, attached to rocks, in cracks and crevices
Seasonality: Available all year
Color: Purple (often with green or brown tones)
Size: 3” – 5”
Collected: By hand
Quantity: Sold by the each
Note: This is a live marine specimen. Natural variations in size, color, and appearance from photos should be expected. If you would like any specimen preserved, please send a request to: info@gulfofme.com

Learn about green sea urchins and what happens to them when they are left on the beach as the tide goes out! Tidepool Tim discovers a recently eaten sea urchin and takes some time to explain what happened...

Tidepool Tim says,  “Urchins are usually nestled up to a rock, or feasting on seaweed in packs! They can be found in cold regions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In New England, they are found as far south as Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They are quite active, moving around on their short, sharp spines and hundreds of  tube feet on their underside. If you pick up discarded exoskeleton (maybe left over from a seabird’s lunch) you have noticed a circular opening at the center of its underside. This is where the creatures mouth and five teeth are located. They crawl along the ocean floor and scrape up fine algae, also feeding on seaweeds (macroalgae).”

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