Echinoderms are marine organisms which means they live in the ocean. They are found in all marine waters on Earth although there are few species living in the Arctic. Many echinoderms are visible on the seashore such as sand dollars, globular spiny sea urchins and asteroids. The coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific oceans are also home to many species of echinoderms. Species near the seashore normally live at a depth of 300 meters or fewer while deep-sea species are found from 1,000 to 5,000 meters. Sea cucumbers are the only echinoderms found at ocean depths of 10,000 meters or more.
The image above shows a sand dollar in the process of burying itself in the sand on a beach.
- Echinoderm. (n.d.). In Encyclopedia Britannica online. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/animal/echinoderm