SAND DOLLAR

Updated 04-May-2020.

Mondo shtuff from around the internet, all about SAND DOLLAR!

Sand Dollars (Order Clypeasteroida): The term sand dollar (also known as a sea cookie or snapper biscuit in New Zealand, or pansy shell in South Africa) refers to species of extremely flattened, burrowing sea urchins belonging to the order Clypeasteroida. Some species within the order, not quite as flat, are known as sea biscuits. Related animals include other sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and starfish. (Source: Wikipedia, ”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_dollar, CC BY-SA 3.0 . Photo: (c) David R, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND))

9 things you don’t know about sand dollars: These ocean floor-dwelling echinoids are actually purple and hairy.

Sand Dollar Facts: The skeletons of sand dollars are frequently collected from north Atlantic and Pacific beaches. Learn more with these amazing sand dollar facts.

My botty best at summarizing from Wikipedia: the term sand dollar refers to species of extremely flattened, burrowing sea urchins . the test consists of calcium carbonate plates arranged in a fivefold radial pattern . the velvety spines of live sand dollars appear in a variety of colors—green, blue, violet, or purple—depending on the species . individuals which are very recently dead or dying (moribund) the petal-like pattern in sand dollars consists of five paired rows of pores . pores are perforations in the endoskeleton through which podia for gas exchange project from the body . s the anus of sand dollars is located at the back rather than at the top as in most urchins . many more bilateral features appear in some species . these result from the adaptation of the species from creatures that lived the test lacks velvet-like skin of spines and has often been bleached white by sunlight . in south africa, they are known as pansy shells from their suggestion of a five-petaled garden flower in Spanish-speaking areas of the Americas, the sand dollar is most often known as galleta de mar (sea cookie) the translated term is often encountered in English . the various common terms sometimes appear printed in on the ocean bottom, sand dollars are frequently found together . sexes are separate and gametes are released into the water column . in 2008, biologists discovered that sand dollar larvae clone themselves as a mechanism of self-defense . larvae undergo this process when food is plentiful or temperature conditions are optimal . recent research shows larvae exposed to mucus from predatory fish clone themselves, thus doubling their numbers . smaller larvae are better able to escape detection by fish, but may be more vulnerable to predation by missionaries found symbolism in the fivefold radial pattern and dove-shaped internal structures . a card with an anonymous poem explaining the legend is often given in conjunction with the sale of a sand dollar