Diadema antillarum Genome sequencing and assembly. Diadema antillarum

The genome of the long-spined black sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, was sequenced using next generation sequencing technology. The long-spined black sea urchin, Diadema antillarum is a freely living marine benthic invertebrate that inhabits the shallow waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It is an important herbivore and keystone species that helps maintain healthy coral reef systems along its coastal marine habitats. No other whole genome sequence been reported to date. The results from this study will be important for future efforts in the recovery of this species, which has suffered repeated massive mortality events across populations in the Caribbean Sea.