In 2022, it was discovered that long-spined sea urchins in St. Thomas were beginning to die off in large numbers. Over the course of several months, sea urchin deaths were reported in nine more locations across the Caribbean. Don Behringer, a UF researcher in marine disease ecology, discovered that a microscopic parasite was the cause.

“Other parasites similar to this one are known to cause disease in other organisms but have not been implicated in urchin disease outbreaks, in the Caribbean or elsewhere,” said Behringer. “It appears to act in a micropredation mechanism where it swarms the urchins and starts multiplying and rapidly eating away at them.”

• Donald Behringer