Black sea urchin (Arbacia lixula)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Echinodermata · Class: Echinoidea · Order: Arbacioida · Family: Arbaciidae · Genus: Arbacia.

Accepted name: Arbacia lixula · Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 124249.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Arbacia aequituberculata (Blainville, 1825); Arbacia australis Lovén, 1887; Arbacia grandinosa (Valenciennes, 1846); Arbacia pustulosa (Leske, 1778); Cidaris pustulosa Leske, 1778; Echinocidaris (Agarites) loculatua (Blainville, 1825); Echinocidaris (Tetrapygus) aequituberculatus (Blainville, 1825); Echinocidaris (Tetrapygus) grandinosa (Valenciennes, 1846); Echinocidaris (Tetrapygus) pustulosa (Leske, 1778); Echinocidaris aequituberculata (Blainville, 1825); Echinocidaris grandinosa (Valenciennes, 1846); Echinocidaris loculatua (Blainville, 1825); Echinocidaris pustulosa (Leske, 1778); Echinus aequituberculatus Blainville, 1825; Echinus equituberculatus Blainville, 1825; Echinus grandinosus Valenciennes, 1846; Echinus lixula Linnaeus, 1758; Echinus loculatus Blainville, 1825; Echinus neapolitanus Delle Chiaje, 1825; Echinus pustulosus (Leske, 1778).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=124249 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)

Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Arbacia lixula. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Depth range: 0–80 m · Habitat zone: benthic · Fishery importance: commercial.

SeaLifeBase notes: Maximum depth from Ref. 122972. Abundant in shallow rocky habitats (Ref. 122974), found specifically on subtidal rocky coasts to a depth of 80 m (Ref. 122972). Intertidal (Ref. 122980). Most commonly found on vertical rocky surfaces, exposed to a high degree of hydrodynamic forces (Ref. 122974). Lives in reef slopes, but mainly in the sandy bottom (Ref. 122928).

Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 49978) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Arbacia-lixula.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

9,068 georeferenced occurrence records for Arbacia lixula are published through GBIF from 37 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 151 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 136 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: France (4,854); Spain (2,157); Greece (885); Italy (308); Croatia (277).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2278772) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2278772&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=124249 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

It is a medium-sized sea urchin, characterized by its deep black color and its hemispherical shape. All of its spines are roughly the same size (no "secondary spines"), and worn erected (never dishevelled when in the water). The anus on the top is surrounded by four plates forming an anal valve. The oral face is nearly naked, the mouth being surrounded by soft, dark-greenish skin.

This species can be confused with the purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, but the latter is never really black (though often very dark), has more dishevelled spines of many lengths, covers itself with debris, has spines around the mouth and no anal valve, and does not live exposed on the cliffs.

This species can be found on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and Macaronesian Islands (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands), and less commonly, on the Atlantic coast of Western Africa and the Brazilian coast.

It is found typically at shallow waters, at depths from 0 to 30 m, in rocky shores. It has a good resistance to hydrodynamism due to a good attachment strength to rocks.

This species feeds mainly on crustose red algae and small filamentous algae. In a marine reserve in the Mediterranean, its population increased by a factor over 10 between 1983 and 1992, from eight to 100 individuals per meter2. High seawater temperatures are thought to favour this species. When it was excluded from an area of the reserve, the density of filamentous algae increased.

Source: Wikipedia: Arbacia lixula — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbacia_lixula (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

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