Sea urchin embryos have been a means of evaluating the adverse effects to embryogenesis of a number of xenobiotics either occurring as environmental contaminants or pharmaceutical drugs, or natural products, and a database is available of developmental toxicity to sea urchin embryos. The sea urchin embryo bioassay system displays a number of practical and theoretical advantages that are discussed in the present review. Among several advantages, sea urchin embryo bioassays may also provide a short-term evaluation of stage-specific developmental toxicity. A unifying methodology is suggested providing the scientific community with a short-term and inexpensive bioassay in screening potential teratogens in preclinical pharmacology and in environmental health.