When observed alive, the species has an iridescent turquoise sheen on most spine surfaces and a red sheen on individual spines when the observer is looking down the shaft. The spines of the two Centrostephanus species differ from those of other temperate Australian sea urchins (including the most common species, Heliocidaris erythrogramma) because they are hollow rather than having a solid core. It generally occurs in large numbers and can alter community structure on reefs by eliminating kelps and other large macroalgae, causing barren areas of ‘white rock’. The species seems to be spreading southwards along the Tasmanian coast; isolated specimens were first recognised in the northeast of the state only in 1978 but aggregations have now created barren areas in that region, and isolated specimens occur on the south coast.

• Max Size: 10 cm
• Sea Temperature Range: 13.0-25.2°C
• Depth: 0-35m
• Habitat: Rocky Reef

• IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
• Occurrence: Common (38% of sites)
  Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
• Abundance: Many (74 per transect)
  Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.