heart urchin
The heart urchins or Spatangoida are an order of sea urchins.
Their body is a somewhat elongated oval in form, and is distinguished by the mouth being placed towards one end of the animal, and the anus towards the other. As a result, heart urchi ...
s in the
Spatangidae
The Spatangidae are a family of heart urchins. There are three recognised genera within the family; '' Granopatagus'', '' Plethotaenia'', and ''Spatangus
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Sp ...
World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms.
Content
The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...
on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Prospatangus'' Lambert, 1902 and ''Spatagus''. There are nine recognised species. The type species is ''
Spatangus purpureus
''Spatangus purpureus'', commonly known as the purple heart urchin, is a species of sea urchin in the family Spatangidae. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, where it lives immersed in the sediment.
Description
' ...
'' Müller, 1776 by subsequent designation (Rowe & Gates, 1995).
''Spatangus'' comprises marine heart urchins that feed on subsurface deposits and graze.
Fossil of heart urchins of this genus have been found in the sediments of Europe, United States, Egypt and Australia from
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...
Spatangus glenni
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Spatangus Gray, 1825 Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Pros ...
Spatangus multispinus
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Spatangus Gray, 1825 Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Pros ...
'' Mortensen, 1925
* ''
Spatangus pallidus
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Spatangus Gray, 1825 Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Pros ...
'' H.L. Clark, 1908
* ''
Spatangus paucituberculatus
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Spatangus Gray, 1825 Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Pros ...
'' A. Agassiz & H.L. Clark, 1907
* ''
Spatangus purpureus
''Spatangus purpureus'', commonly known as the purple heart urchin, is a species of sea urchin in the family Spatangidae. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, where it lives immersed in the sediment.
Description
' ...
'' (O.F. Müller, 1776)
* ''
Spatangus raschi
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Spatangus Gray, 1825 Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Pros ...
Spatangus subinermis
''Spatangus'' is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family.Hansson, H. (2009)Spatangus Gray, 1825 Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species on 2 August 2010 The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera ''Pros ...