Echinometra oblonga, also called the oblong urchin or 'ina 'ele 'ele (ina= generic name for urchin, 'ele 'ele= blackish) in Hawaiian, is a very common rock boring urchin on shallow rocky shores of the tropical Indo-Pacific and Southern Africa.

[2] Echinometra oblonga shows a range of color from dark purple to black.

[4] Echinometra oblonga generally live in rougher-water areas of tropical reefs.

[2] As the urchin grows, they use their jaws to help enlarge holes in the reef.

Their spines trap seaweed and algae from the reef, which they then transfer to the mouth.