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Sand Dollar — printable fact sheet
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Animal Fact Sheet
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Sand Dollar
Dendraster excentricus
The sand dollar is a flattened, burrowing sea urchin found along sandy ocean floors, most commonly in shallow coastal waters. Its rigid, disc-shaped skeleton is covered with tiny spines that help it move and burrow beneath the sand. Sand dollars are well-known for the star-shape…
Did you know?
- A living sand dollar appears dark and fuzzy due to its tiny, moving spines, but it's only after death that its skeleton turns white and smooth.
- Sand dollars are closely related to sea urchins and starfish. When alive, they are covered in velvety, purple-brown spines that help them move and feed. Their skeletons, often found bleached white on beaches, are known as 'tests' and are popular with beachcombers.
What I learned
Draw the sand dollar
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