A collection of four New Zealand Kina or Sea Urchins. Circular green shell with hole in centre top and bottom. One shell is covered with spines. The other three have had spines removed to reveal smooth bumps.
Kina is a type of sea urchin and traditional Māori food endemic to New Zealand.
Kina are a member of the Echinoderm family of marine animals which feature hard and/or spiny skin and inherent symmetry. One of 70 different species of sea urchin found in NZ waters, kina reside in rocky seafloor areas of coastline in shallow depths — usually around 10 to 15 meters. Recognised for their hedgehog-like appearance, kina contain a fleshy orange-yellow edible roe which is removed and sold commercially in pottles. At the end of its life, a kina will lose its spikes, leaving behind a beautiful green globe-like shell.
Read more about kina here > https://chathamislandfood.com/blogs/island-news/kina-nz
maximum dimension: 100mm
subject area: Science, Biology, Art, Social Science
specific themes: New Zealand, Sea Creatures, Kai Moana
handling collection number: HC116
why not get your hands on these...
HC117 Paper Nautilus and Cask shells
HC259 What a Shell can Tell picture book