Ecologically important Diadema africanum almost eliminated by unknown disease in Canary Islands ...

Sea urchins are dying off worldwide from an unknown disease, threatening reef balance and sparking urgent efforts to identify the pathogen.

With spikes as long as knitting needles, long-spined sea urchins may look like underwater villains, but their appetite for algae makes them the unsung heroes of Caribbean reefs. Courtesy of the ...

Their disappearance, combined with a massive marine heat wave called “the blob,” set off a cascade of catastrophic ecological changes that turned these kelp biodiverse hot spots into vast sea urchin ...