Most people see sand dollars only after they're deceased. Those white "shells" found along the beach are their skeletons; when the marine animal is alive, its pigment can vary from a rich reddish ...

Scientists were stumped in mid-August 2021 when thousands of sand dollars — small marine animals found around the world — mysteriously washed ashore along the northern Oregon coast.

Many animals have cunning ways of hiding from predators. But the larva of the sand dollar takes that to an extreme – it avoids being spotted by splitting itself into two identical clones.

Pristine white sand dollars have long been the souvenir to commemorate a successful day at the beach. But most people who pick them up don’t realize that they’ve collected the skeleton of an animal, ...

Because sand dollar skeletons — called "tests" — are made of calcium carbonate, the animal is also vulnerable to the effects of ocean acidification, as acidic seawater can dissolve calcium ...

In rough waters, the animals lie flat on the surface of the sand, according to the aquarium. Sand dollars can reach a diameter of about three inches and have a life span of about eight years.

“We also like to remind guests to never, ever throw a live animal. If someone finds a live sand dollar on the beach, the best thing to do is gently place it back in the water. Live shelling is ...

“We also like to remind guests to never, ever throw a live animal. If someone finds a live sand dollar on the beach, the best thing to do is gently place it back in the water. Live shelling is ...