About Centrostephanus coronatus (Verrill, 1867)
Adults of this species are entirely black, with faint blue coloration at the base of their spines. Juveniles have gray banding patterns on their spines. The hard outer test of Centrostephanus coronatus ranges from 32 millimetres (1.3 inches) to 63 millimetres (2.5 inches) in diameter. Its spines are thin, hollow, brittle, and extremely sharp; the longest spines can reach 125 millimetres (4.9 inches) in length. Five clusters of smaller spines surround the mouth on the underside of the test. This species, commonly called the crowned sea urchin, is distributed in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Monterey Bay, California down to Peru, including the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands. The species has expanded its range northward in recent years. Crowned sea urchins live at depths from the low-tide line down to 125 metres (410 feet). They are bottom-dwelling organisms that prefer rocky substrates and reefs.
