Size

Test diameter: 8cm (3") Spine length: 1-2cm (0.5-0.75")

Recognition Characters

Spines are short and abundant.

Color

Variable in color. Can be red, purple, green, olive, or white.

Habitat & Depth

Rocky and coral reefs. Also inhabit sea grass beds. To 50m deep.

Distribution at GRNMS

Common. Often times hidden in cracks or crevices within reef.

Geographic Range

North Carolina south to Brazil

Behavior & Notes

The squat urchin shrimp, Gnathophyllodes mineri lives among the urchin spines.

Synonyms

References

Humann 1992a, Kaplan 1988, Ruppert and Fox 1988