The "spiny skinned" animals of the phylum Echinodermata include many familiar to both divers and non-divers. They range from starfish to brittle stars to sea urchins to sea cucumbers. Beach combers may find these animals in the detritus deposited by the waves. Lovers of Asian foods may find sea urchins in their sushi or sea cucumbers served as namako or beche de mer. This important group of invertebrates is among those most closely related to vertebrates like ourselves.

This single disc DVD set introduces the viewer to the natural history of most of the common echinoderm species in southern California. It is 88 minutes long, covering this interesting group in four separate 22-minute episodes. You can see sea urchins broadcasting their sperm and eggs into the water to reproduce, sea cucumbers expelling their guts as a defense mechanism against predators, starfish or sea stars regenerating arms lost to predators and their close relatives the brittle stars feeding by extending their arms out of the sand. Now that should thrill you!

The DVD is $35 plus $3.06 sales tax (8.75%) if shipped to a California address. Due to the USPS's new rates, postage via firtst class mail is $2.50. Other options include USPS Priority Mail.

This web page last updated May 23, 2008

This document maintained by Dr. Bill Bushing.
Material © 2008 Star Thrower Educational Multimedia