MARINE ANIMALS THAT STING 49 



Contact with the setae or bristles of the bristleworms may pro- 

 duce inflammation, swelling, and numbness, which may persist for 

 several days. It is not definitely known whether a toxin is actually 

 involved. 



Treatment. There is no specific treatment for Glycera bites. They 

 should be handled in the same manner as fish stings. (See Page 



91). 



Bristles can best be removed from the skin of the victim with the 

 use of adhesive tape, and ammonia or alcohol applied to the area 

 to alleviate the discomfort. 



Prevention. Exercise care in the handling of Glycera and bristle- 

 worms. Cotton gloves will probably provide adequate protection 

 from bloodworms, but rubber gloves are advisable when handling 

 bristleworms. 



ECHINODERMS 



Echinoderms are characterized by having radial symmetry, with 

 the body usually of five radii around an oral-suboral axis, comprised 

 of calcareous plates which form a more or less rigid skeleton, or 

 with plates and spicules embedded in the body wall. Starfishes or 

 sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins are all members of this 

 group. Some of the sea urchins are of primary concern to the skin 

 divers. The long-spined tropical sea urchins may produce extremely 

 painful wounds. Sea urchins are most commonly encountered under 

 rocks, in sandy sheltered areas, in crevices or holes in rocks and 

 coral. 



Species of Sea Urchins. Because of the large number of sea 

 urchins, only a few of the more representative ones will be listed. 



Long-spined or Black Sea Urchin, Diadema setosum (Leske) 

 (Fig. 23, Top). Widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific 

 area, from East Africa to Polynesia, China, and Japan. Closely 

 related species are found in the West Indies and the Hawaiian 

 Islands. 



Sea Urchin, Toxopneustes pileolus (Lamarck). Inhabits the Indo- 

 Pacific area, from East Africa to Melanesia, and Japan. A com- 

 mon and dangerous species. 



Sea Urchin, Toxopneustes elegans Doderlein (Fig. 23, Bottom 

 Left) . Inhabits the waters about Japan. 



(No common name), Asthenosoma ijimai Yoshiwara (Fig. 23, 

 Bottom Right) . Ranges from Southern Japan to the Molucca Sea. 



