Evechinus chloroticus
Evechinus chloroticus, commonly known as the common sea urchin, kina, or sea egg, is a sea urchin native to New Zealand and the most common urchin in the country. It can grow up to about 16–17 cm across and lives in shallow waters around New Zealand, from rocky shores to fiords, usually in areas with moderate waves and down to about 12–14 m deep.
The urchin is oval and covered in spines, with tube feet between them that help it move. Kina are mostly herbivores, feeding on large brown and red algae and encrusting surfaces; larvae feed on tiny algae. Predators include eleven-armed sea stars, seven-armed starfish, spiny lobsters, and snapper.
Kina have an annual breeding cycle. They mature at a few centimeters in diameter, with gonads ripening in spring and spawning from late spring to summer. Free-swimming larvae develop in a few weeks and settle on substrates such as coralline algae or artificial surfaces.
Growth is fastest in the early years, with individuals adding about a couple of centimeters annually. Kina have been a traditional food for Māori and are fished commercially in restricted areas since 1986. The roe is valued in some markets, though exports to Asia have had limited success due to taste and price. Although not a major aquaculture species, researchers study roe enhancement to improve quality for potential markets.
Ecologically, kina populations can boom when predators decline, leading to overgrazing of kelp forests and the formation of barren areas known as kina barrens, such as in parts of the Hauraki Gulf. Conservation efforts sometimes include removing kina to help kelp forests recover.
Copper is toxic to all life stages of Evechinus chloroticus, with detrimental effects at various concentrations.
Maori names: kina refers to the urchin; kina ariki to long-spiked urchins; pūrau is another term for the urchin, and ateate refers to the roe.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 22:35 (CET).