Photo: (c) Rachel Crane, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.
Habitat
Rocky reefs, low tidepools, and kelp forests
Published depth range
Low intertidal to about 100 m; reported maxima differ among references
Viewing activities
Scuba diving · Beach / tidepool
What to look for
Long spines and a large body, colored brick red through dark burgundy.
What it eats
Algae, including drifting kelp.
Wider distribution
Alaska to Cedros Island, Baja California.
When to look
The available records do not establish a reliable local viewing season. Use the map’s month filter to inspect dated observations; it does not predict an encounter.
WHERE HAS IT BEEN RECORDED?
Explore the featured regions
These dated records show past presence. They do not establish today’s abundance, guarantee a sighting, or describe the species’ entire range.
Monterey Bay
Recorded here
153,293 OBIS records in the regional query · snapshot 2026-09-12.
