Parechinus

Parechinus angulosus, the Cape urchin, is a sea urchin in the family Parechinidae endemic to southern Africa. It is the only species in the genus Parechinus.

Synonyms

 * Cidaris angulosus Leske, 1778
 * Cidaris angulosus minor Leske, 1778
 * Echinus angulosus minor (Leske, 1778)
 * Echinus minimus Blainville, 1825
 * Echinus subangulosus Lamarck, 1816
 * Parechinus angulosus pallidus H.L. Clark
 * Parechinus annulatus (Mortensen, 1909)
 * Protocentrotus angulosus (Leske, 1778)
 * Protocentrotus annulatus Mortensen, 1909
 * Psammechinus subangulosus (Lamarck, 1816)

Description
Test round, diameter up to 60 mm, with a dense covering of short sharp spines which do not exceed 20% of test diameter. Test colour usually green, spines purple, but also green, red or off-white.

Distribution
Lüderitz to Durban, intertidal to about 100 m.

Natural history
Grazes on seaweeds, and population density affects the rate of kelp settlement. Provides shelter for juvenile abalone Haliotis midae and is an important influence on kelp forest ecology. Abundant on flatter areas of rocky reefs in the Cape. Eaten by West coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii.