''Conoclypus'' - from the Greek words (= cone) + (= disc) - is a genus of
sea urchin
Sea urchins or urchins () are echinoderms in the class (biology), class Echinoidea. About 950 species live on the seabed, inhabiting all oceans and depth zones from the intertidal zone to deep seas of . They typically have a globular body cove ...
s belonging to the family
Conoclypeidae.
Description
These fossil echinoderms are characterized by a conical calcareous structure. They were slow-moving semi-infaunal detritivore, living in the late
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...
until the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
.
Distribution
Species of this genus have been found in
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
of
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
and in
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...
of
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
and
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
.
Species
*''Conoclypus conoideus'' (Leske, 1778); Middle Eocene, Europe
*''Conoclypus pilgrimi'' Davies, 1927; Lower Eocene, Pakistan
*''Conoclypus pinfoldi'' Gill, 1953; Lower Eocene, Pakistan
*''Conoclypus lorioli'' (Dames, 1877); Eocene, Italy & Slovenia
References
The Paleobiology Database*Sepkoski, Jac
Sepkoski's Online Genus DatabasesNatural History Museum
*Vasja Miku�
Eocene sea urchins Conoclypus conoideus from the paleontological collection of the Department of Geology, University in Ljubljana
Clypeasteroida
Fossils of Italy
Eocene animals
Eocene genus first appearances
Miocene genus extinctions
{{echinoidea-stub