ocean urchin dice - offs are being recorded by researchers and divers near the shoring of multiple Caribbean islands . grant to the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment ( AGRRA ) , there are n’t any clues yet as to why the urchin are dying at such straightaway rates . The organization is especially concerned because other forms of nautical life can not fly high without the presence of the spiny sea creature in the realm ’s pee .
“ The long - spin sea urchin , is one of the most important herbivores on Caribbean coral reefs , removing algae and keep open place for coral ontogenesis , ” the organizationwrote on their websitethis past March .
A good for you universe of sea urchins keepsinvasive algaeat bay and helps make way for native species to flourish . AGRRA and underwater diver first find give out urchins this past February near St. Thomas , and by March , more grim and dying sea urchins were observed in nearby islands admit Jamaica , Dominica , St. Vincent , and several others .
Long-spined sea urchins in between rocks, off the coast of Dominica.Photo: Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild (Getty Images)
At first , the dying consequence were only find in Diadema antillarum , which are the black sea urchins that are easy identifiable thanks to their longsighted dark-skinned spikes , CBS News reported . But then other species of urchin began to show house of distraint as well . A hefty sea urchin has spikes that cover most of its body and go straight up . On the other hand , tired of urchins often misplace their vertebral column , and some of their inner tissue paper is bring out before they exit , accord to AGRRA .
The recent event is woefully not the first sea urchin “ die off ” in the region . Another one was recorded back in the early 1980s , and researchers did not empathize why it encounter at the sentence . regrettably , only some populations of urchin ever to the full recovered from that instalment , making the current dying event even more concerning .
There have been late exertion to ensure a healthy universe of ocean urchins in the region . Late last year , the Florida Aquarium in Tampa spawned and finally resign almost 200 sea urchin to help protect the Florida Reef , the largest urchin restocking effort of the last 20 years , Axios report .
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