heart urchin

heart urchin
an echinoderm of the order Spatangoida, having an elongate, somewhat heart-shaped outer covering.
[1835-45]

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 any echinoid marine invertebrate of the order Spatangoidea (phylum Echinodermata), in which the body is usually oval or heart-shaped. The test (internal skeleton) is rather fragile with four porous spaces, or petaloids. The body is covered with fine, usually short spines.

      Heart urchins live in burrows lined with mucus. Long tentacles (modified tube feet) reach out over the sand to pick up small particles of food; other tube feet have respiratory and sensory (not locomotive) functions. Movement is carried out by means of the spines.

      The common heart urchin (Echinocardium cordatum) occurs in all oceans. Spatangus purpureus is common on the coasts of western Europe, the Mediterranean, and western Africa.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Heart urchin — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • heart urchin — n. any of an order (Spatangoida) of echinoid echinoderms with an elongated, somewhat heart shaped shell …   English World dictionary

  • heart urchin — noun sea urchin having a heart shaped body in a rigid spiny shell • Hypernyms: ↑sea urchin • Member Holonyms: ↑Spatangoida, ↑order Spatangoida …   Useful english dictionary

  • Heart — (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r. [root]277. Cf …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heart and hand — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heart and soul — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heart bond — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • heart cockle — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heart hardness — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heart heaviness — Heart Heart (h[aum]rt), n. [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. ha[ i]rt[=o], Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. kardi a, kh^r.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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