Even though they are called ‘shells’, the Pansy is in fact the skeleton of a sea urchin. They belong to a group of burrowing urchins (Clypeasteroida) and live in shallow sheltered bays and estuaries.
The name ‘Pansy Shell’ comes from the five-petal flower pattern they have on the top of their skeleton. They are related to the urchins known as ‘Sand Dollars’ which are found in the United States of America.
Pansy shells can be found along the South coast of South Africa, up to Mozambique. In South Africa pansy shells have been found in Mossel Bay, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, and St. Francis Bay as well as a few sites along the Wild Coast Transkei and Durban.
Pansy shells are flat sea urchins and they feed on microorganisms in the sand. Pansy shells occur in waters 4-10 m in depth and lie buried in approximately 5 cm of sand. They seem to live in patchy colonies with some areas having a high density of pansy shells, and others had none.
Like most echinoderms, pansy shells are broadcast spawners, meaning that the females and males release their eggs and sperm into the water simultaneously. The pansy larvae will spend months in the water column growing in size and searching for a suitable habitat to settle on and metamorphose into their adult form.
Pansy shells were classified as an endangered species in 1973 in South Africa and protected by the Sea Fisheries Act of 1973: No. 82. In 2004 their conservation classification was downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘protected species’ under the Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act 10 of 2004).
Pansy shells are at risk of over exploitation through their collection for souvenirs, scientific investigations and the aquarium trade.
To collect washed-up shells for souvenirs does not necessarily effect their survival because at this stage they are already dead. However, the collection of live specimens for the purpose of drying and selling can have severe consequences for the survival of the species and it is illegal to do so without a permit.
Scientist also collect marine organism to try to find useful compounds to make medicine, if this is not controlled properly there is chance of over collection of the shells.
Cache: Park at the designated Parking. GZ can be accessed by taking “Roger’s Way.” The cache is a micro bison container containing only a log sheet. Bring your own writing tool. Kindly replace as found.