Tripneustes esculentus

A phenolic compound from Western Australian specimens deterred the sea urchin Tripneustes esculentus (Roussis et al. 1993)... 

Rock boring sea urchin, Echinometra lucunter, Puerto Rico skeleton vs. whole Sea urchin, Tripneustes esculentus] Puerto Rico Ovary Skeleton Testes... 

There have been few detailed studies of the fatty acid compositions of echinids, but these animals often have high levels of polyunsaturated acids, particularly arachi-donic acid (20 4n-6) and EPA (20 5n-3). They also contain several non-methylene interrupted dienoic acids (NMIDs) in which the double bonds are not separated by a methylene (Joseph, 1989, pp. 90-100), but the most original finding may be that of a series of 2-hydroxy acids with 22, 23 or 24 carbon atoms, saturated and mono-unsaturated (n-9). Table 26.4 shows the major fatty acids (>1%) of Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (Joseph, 1989) and Tripneustes esculentus (Carballeira, Shalabi, and Reyes, 1994). 

The subtle differences observed for both compositions may be attributable to environmental differences related to the geographic origin of the species, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis having been harvested in tropical Puerto Rico and Tripneustes esculentus in the north-east Atlantic (Nova Scotia). 

Carballeira, N.M., Shalabi, F., and Reyes, M. (1994) New 2-hydroxy fatty acids in the Caribbean urchin Tripneustes esculentus. J. Nat. Prod., 57, 614-619. 

---