GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LABORATORY CULTURED SEA URCHIN

Abstract

A method is described for raising sea urchins from egg to egg in the laboratory. The larvae are raised on flagellated marine algae and the young urchins on a substrate-dwelling diatom. The major features in the developmental process are: growth of the larva, development of the urchin inside the larva, metamorphosis and growth of the young urchin to sexual maturity. The entire life cycle takes about six months.