"The death of the hedgehog" .. Scientists explain the secret of the strange phenomenon
Marine biologists at a Florida university have discovered why sea urchins are dying from the United States to the Caribbean, saying it is due to a microscopic parasite that there is no way to eradicate yet.
The microscopic, single-celled parasite known as Philastar targets sea urchins in their spines, leading to their death, and may be responsible for eliminating about 98 percent of sea urchins in that area.
Biological oceanography professor Mia Breitbart said the loss of this species of hedgehog completely changed the fate of coral reefs.
Scientists determined the cause by collecting samples from 23 sites in the Caribbean, and identified "filaster" as the direct cause of the condition.
"We're excited to share this information with everyone, so we can explore it and stop its spread," Mia added.
Source: websites