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1. Introduction
Salmacis sphaeroides (Linnaeus, 1758) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea: Temnopleuridae), or ball-like white sea urchin, is one of the regular echinoids, occuring most abundantly in the warm Indo-West Pacific where it can be found from China to Solomon Islands and Australia [1, 2], and Singapore [3]. It can also be found in the warm temperate regions including Johor Straits, between Malaysia and Singapore [3]. This sea urchin can occurr at depth ranging between 0 and 90 m, however it is generally found in shallow waters, especially in amongst seagrass meadows and in muddy sublittoral zone or washed ashore [3]. It has almost cloudy white test (5.0 to 8.0 cm diameter) with numerous short spade-like spines (1.0 to 1.5 cm long). Some may have white spines with maroon bands, others with all maroon spines, and yet others with green and maroon bands. This species is also recognized to inhabit in shallow seagrass bed and coral reef areas [1]. Salmacis sphaeroides gets their food from algae, bryzoans, seaweeds, and detritus [2]. This behavior shows that the animal is an omnivorous scavenger and detritus feeder, ingesting loose substrates and scraping films off hard surfaces and that is why it can also be found on algal substrates [4].
Sea urchins are classic objects of research in different fields of biology and ecology. At the same time, they are used as raw material to produce foodstuff, in particular, the product of processing gonads known as “Sea urchin Roe or Uni” [5–7] and are considered a prized delicacy in Asia, Mediterranean countries, and Western Hemisphere countries such as Barbados and Chile [8]. People of the Asian Pacific Region have also used sea urchin gonads for many years as a remedy for improving general body condition, treatment for a number of diseases, and strengthening of sexual potency of men [9]. Gonads of sea urchins have long been a luxury food in Japan [10]. Although, S. sphaeroides has not yet been used as edible species in Malaysia, it has been found to serve as a delicacy food item in local seafood restaurants in Hong Kong [11].
Sea...