What Are Sand Dollars?

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On sand dollars, they're so small that they're very difficult to see with the naked eye. They actually pick up the sand particles underneath the sand dollar and then pass them to the mouth along these grooves. We found out that that was the true feeding mechanism. People call it a sucker, although we're not too sure how much sucking is involved.

The hedgehogs of the sea: echinoids are spiky, spiny, pokey, be-toothed, venomous, mysterious, gorgeous evolutionary marvels. And Dr. Rich Mooi of the California Academy of Arts & Sciences is one of their biggest champions. Come stroll through the offices for a face-to-face encounter with this infectious expert. We talk sand dollars, uni, doves of peace, fire urchins, kelp forests, tiny hats, butt placement, foot eyes and how to find your niche, even if it’s miles below the surface on a rotting log.

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