Beauty Not to be Touched

Yesterday while diving the popular City Limits dive site, we discovered a Flower sea urchin (Toxopneustes pileolus) in a section of coral rubble popular with photographers. Considered the most venomous of all sea urchins, this creature’s numerous nonvenomous spines are interspersed with taller flower-like stalks. The pinkish “flower” is actually a triple jaw with venom glands on its jaw tips. When an unsuspecting fish rests on the deadly bed of flowers, the jaws of each flower clamp down, releasing a peditoxin. For the unfortunate human stung by this creature, reactions include severe pain, respiratory distress, relaxation of the limb muscles, loss of control of facial muscles, and paralysis of lips, tongue and eyelids with its consequent difficulty in speaking. Contact has been deadly. Even after the flowery stinging jaws (called pedicellaria) detach from the urchin, they are locked into the skin and continue to pump in venom. These should be removed promptly. We are told that pain usually disappears in an hour, but facial paralysis can persist up to six hours. The Flower sea urchin yesterday was mostly buried in rubble, typical behavior for its species. Its countless flowers were opening and closing in a most alluring manner.