Toxopneustes pileolus

Other invertebrates
IUCN: Not evaluated

Usual depth2–50 m
Water temperature16–29 °C
Best monthsApril, May, and July
How commonOccasional

Photo credit: (c) Nhobgood, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

About this species

Toxopneustes pileolus, commonly known as the flower urchin, is a widespread and commonly encountered species of sea urchin from the Indo-West Pacific. It is considered highly dangerous, as it is capable of delivering extremely painful and medically significant stings when touched. It inhabits coral reefs, seagrass beds, and rocky or sandy environments at depths of up to 90 m (295 ft). It feeds on algae, bryozoans, and organic detritus.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Toxopneustes pileolus”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 54 records
February: 67 records
March: 62 records
April: 81 records
May: 80 records
June: 39 records
July: 71 records
August: 58 records
September: 65 records
October: 50 records
November: 64 records
December: 49 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 2–50 m · Deepest record: 100 m

0–10 m: 38 records
10–20 m: 10 records
20–30 m: 2 records
30–40 m: 1 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 13 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 1 records
80–90 m: 2 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 16–29 °C

14–16 °C: 1 records
16–18 °C: 0 records
18–20 °C: 4 records
20–22 °C: 9 records
22–24 °C: 1 records
24–26 °C: 19 records
26–28 °C: 42 records
28–30 °C: 56 records

Photos

(c) "Vincent C. Chen is a Taiwanese recreational diver and free diver who dedicate to underwater photography and the marine lives protection. He is also one of the contributors to EZDive magazine since 2008.", some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist
(c) Philippe Bourjon, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist
(c) Dan Schofield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Susan Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Susan Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

Names in 1 more languages

Japanese: Dokugaze, ラッパウニ

Other scientific names: Boletia heteropora, Boletia pileolus, Boletia polyzonalis, Echinus pileolus, Echinus polyzonalis, Toxopneustes (Boletia) pileolus, Toxopneustes chloracanthus

Similar species

Bischofsmützenseeigel
Tripneustes gratilla
Warty Sand Urchin
Nudechinus verruculatus
Stained Collector Urchin
Pseudoboletia maculata

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
231 open-data records from 1816 to 2023.
Species data updated October 26, 2026.

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