Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Eucidaris thouarsii (L. Agassiz & Desor, 1846)

erizo lapicero, Pencil sea urchin, pencil-spined sea urchin

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Echinodermata

Class
Echinoidea

Order
Cidaroida

Superfamily
Cidaridea

Family
Cidaridae

Genus
Eucidaris

Species
thouarsii

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Native

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Throughout Gulf to Ecuador, Galápagos

References

  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
  • Edgar, G.J. Fariña, J.M., Calvopiña, M., Martínez, C. & Banks, S. (2002) Comunidades submareales rocosas II: Peces y macroinvertebrados móviles. In: Danulat, E. & Edgar, G.J. (eds.) (2002): Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Línea Base de la Biodiversidad. Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador, p. 68-97.
  • Hickin, N. (1979) Animal life of the Galapagos. Ferundune Books, Faringdon, U.K., 236 pp.
  • Hickman, C.P. Jr. (1998) A Field Guide to Sea Stars and other Echinoderms of Galápagos. Sugar Spring Press, Lexington, Virginia, 83 pp.
  • Maluf, L.Y. (1991) Echinoderm Fauna of the Galápagos Islands. In: James, M.J. (ed.): Galápagos Marine Invertebrates. Taxonomy, Biogeography, and Evolution in Darwin's Islands. Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 345-367.
  • Shepherd, S.A. Toral-Granda, V. & Edgar, G.J. (2003) Estimating the abundance of clustered and cryptic marine macro-invertebrates in the Galapagos with particular reference to sea cucumbers. Noticias de Galapagos 62: 36-39.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Eucidaris thouarsii", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=9241. Accessed 23 May 2026.