Unknown Aegean Sea Skeleton.

[Mr.Ness]

Today I came across this specimen found on the shores of Samos Island Greece. Whatever it is it was apparently eaten by a sea star! Does anyone know what species the skeleton belongs to?

 

[xristos]

I think this is the exosceleton of a crab type that lives in sand. I think they change shell as they grow like some insects. It was seriously brittle right?

 

[Mr.Ness]

I think this is the exosceleton of a crab type that lives in sand. I think they change shell as they grow like some insects. It was seriously brittle right?

Very brittle! Thanks!

 

[TimHouTX]

Were you near freshwater?

 

[Mr.Ness]

Were you near freshwater?

I don’t think so. But I’ll take any leads!

 

[TimHouTX]

If indeed freshwater crab that made its way to the spot it was found... genus potamindae? id imagine there are hundreds of species/subspecies but only a few in Samos maybe?

Whatever it is, cool find!

 

[TimHouTX]

EDIT: Potamidae*

 

[Mr.Ness]

EDIT: Potamidae*

 

[Mr.Ness]

Thanks for the input! Turns out it’s the Heart Sea Urchin! And my story of the sea-star death was misinformation. It is simply the design it is born with.

 

[Roxton]

Brissus unicolor (Leske, 1778)

WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Brissus unicolor (Leske, 1778)

www.marinespecies.org

 

[dcvf]

Hi
I confirm the message #8 and #10

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatangoida

I found several in Sardinia in 1995. Here below in my ‘small gallery’