The needle-spined urchin, Echinostrephus aciculates, is a boring urchin that inhabits living corals and limestone. It has a brown, black to purple, spherical body with long and sharp spines. The anal cavity on top is large and round, (its mouth is on the other side).

Unassessed by the IUCN Red list. Quite a common species in the Indo-Pacific, although probably often overlooked.

(West-)Pacific region, from Indonesia to Northeast Australia. They prefer hard and limestone substrates on living coral reefs, in a depth range of 0-50 meters.

Proliferation through sexual reproduction. Brooding behavior is normal in urchins. Eggs are kept on the peristome or deep inside the body cavities. The young planktonic larvae, called “pluteus” will spend several months floating through the water column before settling to the bottom. There they will attach with their tubular feet and transform into young urchins.