Coelopleurus

Coelopleurus
Temporal range: Eocene
Coelopleurus floridanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Subclass: Euechinoidea
Order: Arbacioida
Family: Arbaciidae
Genus: Coelopleurus

Coelopleurus is a genus of echinoids. Fossil records date back to the Eocene,[1] with remains found in Europe and North America.

Characteristics

These abyssal sea urchins are characterized by their surprisingly bright color pattern, usually red and white. Even more surprisingly, their tests (skeletons) are brightly colored, too, even after drying, or sometimes fossilisation.[2]

Species

According to World Register of Marine Species:[3]

References

  1. Fossils (Smithsonian Handbooks) by David Ward (p. 179)
  2. Mah, Christopher L. "Coelopleurus : The most gorgeous urchin you never heard of!". The Echinoblog..
  3. Coelopleurus on WoRMS.

Further reading

External links


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