Parechinus angulosus (Leske, 1778)

Fig. 45 A–C.

Echinus angulosus: A. Agassiz, 1881: 115; A. Agassiz, 1872 –1874: 22, 489. Pl. VII, Fig. 3 a; Bell, 1904: 169 –170.

Echinus juv: Bell, 1904: 171.

Protocentrotus angulosus: Döderlein, 1906: 204 –207. Pl. XXVII, Figs 6–8. Pl. XXXV, Fig. 16. Pl. XLVII, Fig. 6; Döderlein, 1910: 247, 258.

Protocentrotus annulatus: Döderlein, 1910: 248 .

Parechinus angulosus var. pallidus: H.L. Clark, 1924: 9 .

Parechinus angulosus: H.L. Clark, 1923: 385 –386; H.L. Clark, 1925a: 117; Mortensen, 1943: 148 –156. Pl. XVIII, Figs 8–19, 22. Pl. LVIII, Figs 20–21, 26–32; Clark & Courtman-Stock, 1976: 237; Branch et al., 2010: 234, Fig. 105.6; Schultz, 2010: 196, Figs 364–369.

Material examined. MBC-A077856; A23713; SAMC-A23419; MBC-A077843; MBC-A077862; MBC- A077865; MBC-A077854; MBC-A077861; MBC-A077845; MBC-A077866; MBC-A077875; MBC-A077868; MBC-A077852; MBC-A077851; MBC-A077858; MBC-A077857; A47969; MBC-A077996; MBC-A077863; MBC-A077853; MBC-A077864; MBC-A 022222; MBC-A 022223; MBC-A 022224; MBC-A 022225; MBC- A 022226; MBC-A 022227; MBC-A 022228; MBC-A 022257; MBC-A 022297; MBC-A 022676; MBC-A 023070; MBC-A023315; MBC-A027729; MBC-A027730; MBC-A027731; MBC-A027732; MBC-A027733; MBC- A027954; MBC-A027965; MBC-A027966; MBC-A077859; MBC-A077860; MBC-A077855; MBC-A077855; MBC-A077869; MBC-A077825; MBC-A077824; MBC-A077867; MBC-A077873; MBC-A077844; MBC- A077842; A23069; MBC-A077846; MBC-A077847; MBC-A077848; MBC-A077849; MBC-A077850; SAMC- 9/4; MBC-A077870; MBC-A077871; MBC-A077872; A 28052; A22964; MBC-A077874; A23079; A22737; A22736; A22735; A22750; A27728.

Identification. Moderately sized test, round to pentagonal outline. Primary spines slender, not longer than 13 mm; littoral species having more robust, short spines. Tube feet thick, long, densely arranged. Spines vary greatly in color, from green, dark purple with violet to intense red with white tips, occasionally uniformly red or white; test uniformly green, with brownish median zones.

Global maximum size. Maximum test diameter 60 mm.

Global distribution. Angola round the Cape, northward to Mozambique, in littoral zones to 180 m depth (Döderlein 1910; Schultz 2010).

Remarks. Common throughout the South African coastline and the dominant coastal echinoid in most areas. Extraordinary variety of color-morph is displayed within this species, some specimens are of uniform color and others have white-tipped spines (Mortensen 1943; Schultz 2010). Variation in adult and juvenile forms also reported, with juveniles having banded spines and a conspicuous suranal plate (Schultz 2010).