Sand dollars

Echinodermata – Echinoidea

Distribution:     

These are actually the dried out skeleton of a flat sea urchin species. When alive they have many dark purple spines as well as small hairs. They use these spines as a defense against predators. If threatened they can bury themselves into the sand. Like a sea star, their mouth is underneath their body, they use their spines to move food to their mouth.

Did you know?

You can tell the age of a sand dollar by counting its growth rings. They can live for 6-7 years.

Sand dollar on the beach