Size

Test diameter: 5cm (2") Spine length: 5cm (2")

Recognition Characters

Spines are thick and cylindrical with blunt tips. Smaller spines are flattened and abundant.

Color

Test is red-orange to brown.

Habitat & Depth

Coral and temperate reefs. Also seagrass beds and areas of coral rubble and rock. Often remain in protected crevices and recesses of reef. To 25m.

Distribution at GRNMS

Occasional.

Geographic Range

North Carolina south to Brazil

Behavior & Notes

Large spines on this urchin are frequently coated with white or pink coralline algae, bryozoans, or sponges.

Synonyms

References

Humann 1992a, Meinkoth 1981