Echinoidea

Sea urchins or urchins are the class Echinoidea within the echinoderms. Approximately 950 species live on the seabed, inhabiting all oceans and depths from the intertidal zone to the deep sea. They typically have a globular body covered by spiny protective tests, typically from 3 to 10 cm across. Sea urchins move slowly, crawling with their tube feet, and sometimes pushing themselves with their spines. They feed primarily on algae but also eat slow-moving or sessile animals such as crinoids and sponges. Their predators include sharks, sea otters, starfish, wolf eels, triggerfish, and humans. When unchecked by predators, urchins can create urchin barrens, damaged environments devoid of large algae and the animals associated with them.

Echinoidea

Nhobgood ( talk ) Nick Hobgood · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Also called
sea urchinPBDB
Sits inside
EchinozoaPBDB
Diet
grazer, deposit feederPBDB
Life habit
epifaunalPBDB
Motility
actively mobilePBDB
Vision
limitedPBDB
Environment
marinePBDB, for Echinodermata

Time the record covers

At least 458 million years on record.

The record covers at least 458.2 Mya to 11.7 ka. No occurrence read is dated outside 471.3 Mya to 0 Mya.

Ordovician — about 35 of 11653 occurrencesSilurian — about 22 of 11653 occurrencesDevonian — about 150 of 11653 occurrencesDevonianCarboniferous — about 341 of 11653 occurrencesCarboniferousPermian — about 207 of 11653 occurrencesPermianEarly Triassic — about 49 of 11653 occurrencesMiddle Triassic — about 152 of 11653 occurrencesLate Triassic — about 401 of 11653 occurrencesEarly Jurassic — about 146 of 11653 occurrencesMiddle Jurassic — about 619 of 11653 occurrencesLate Jurassic — about 698 of 11653 occurrencesEarly Cretaceous — about 1797 of 11653 occurrencesEarly CretaceousLate Cretaceous — about 3047 of 11653 occurrencesPaleocene — about 342 of 11653 occurrencesEocene — about 1047 of 11653 occurrencesOligocene — about 361 of 11653 occurrencesMiocene — about 1238 of 11653 occurrencesPliocene — about 447 of 11653 occurrencesPleistocene — about 513 of 11653 occurrences481–465 Mya — about 0.5 occurrences465–449 Mya — about 29 occurrences449–433 Mya — about 11 occurrences433–417 Mya — about 19 occurrences417–401 Mya — about 9 occurrences401–385 Mya — about 43 occurrences385–369 Mya — about 75 occurrences369–353 Mya — about 29 occurrences353–337 Mya — about 52 occurrences337–320 Mya — about 83 occurrences320–304 Mya — about 103 occurrences304–288 Mya — about 146 occurrences288–272 Mya — about 56 occurrences272–256 Mya — about 87 occurrences256–240 Mya — about 182 occurrences240–224 Mya — about 327 occurrences224–208 Mya — about 55 occurrences208–192 Mya — about 129 occurrences192–176 Mya — about 68 occurrences176–160 Mya — about 649 occurrences160–144 Mya — about 665 occurrences144–128 Mya — about 613 occurrences128–112 Mya — about 719 occurrences112–96 Mya — about 1040 occurrences96–80 Mya — about 1220 occurrences80–64 Mya — about 1344 occurrences64–48 Mya — about 392 occurrences48–32 Mya — about 970 occurrences32–16 Mya — about 852 occurrences16–0 Mya — about 1689 occurrences458.2 Mya11.7 ka481 Mya0 Mya

11,653 occurrences of Echinoidea on record, most of them in the Late Cretaceous. The Paleobiology Database records this as a living group. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

11,653 occurrences

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. More on what this infers.

Found in

1251 formations

Calcaires à Spatangues — 48.73°N, 4.92°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.69°N, 5.03°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.64°N, 5.04°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.60°N, 5.13°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.54°N, 5.05°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.53°N, 4.99°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.44°N, 5.08°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.41°N, 4.87°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.40°N, 4.84°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.35°N, 4.74°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.30°N, 4.58°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.27°N, 4.53°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.21°N, 4.54°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.16°N, 4.45°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.17°N, 4.34°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.11°N, 4.32°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.09°N, 4.24°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.02°N, 4.17°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 48.02°N, 4.04°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.98°N, 4.08°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.94°N, 3.98°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.83°N, 3.93°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.95°N, 3.90°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.92°N, 3.84°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.87°N, 3.66°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.83°N, 3.67°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.80°N, 3.65°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.76°N, 3.51°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.74°N, 3.52°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.33°N, 2.83°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.64°N, 3.33°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.51°N, 3.12°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.40°N, 2.77°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.35°N, 2.75°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.68°N, 3.37°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.57°N, 3.23°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.55°N, 3.18°ECalcaires à Spatangues — 47.50°N, 3.05°EDhruma — 24.23°N, 46.58°EDhruma — 24.89°N, 46.58°EDhruma — 23.30°N, 46.33°EDhruma — 23.20°N, 46.33°EDhruma — 23.08°N, 46.33°EDhruma — 22.62°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 22.53°N, 46.17°EDhruma — 25.33°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 25.50°N, 45.00°EDhruma — 23.80°N, 46.17°EDhruma — 23.97°N, 46.17°EDhruma — 22.50°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 21.88°N, 45.67°EDhruma — 22.83°N, 46.83°EDhruma — 22.17°N, 45.83°EDhruma — 21.12°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 24.75°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 24.75°N, 46.08°EDhruma — 25.05°N, 45.67°EDhruma — 25.17°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 25.42°N, 45.00°EDhruma — 25.78°N, 45.25°EDhruma — 23.97°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 22.05°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 25.37°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 25.70°N, 45.67°EDhruma — 25.97°N, 45.00°EDhruma — 26.33°N, 44.83°EDhruma — 25.38°N, 45.38°ECotinguiba — 10.86°S, 37.17°WCotinguiba — 10.80°S, 37.17°WCotinguiba — 10.61°S, 36.94°WCotinguiba — 10.63°S, 36.95°WCotinguiba — 10.76°S, 37.07°WCotinguiba — 11.00°S, 37.31°WCotinguiba — 10.86°S, 37.15°WCotinguiba — 10.82°S, 37.04°WCotinguiba — 11.29°S, 37.38°WCotinguiba — 10.70°S, 36.98°WCotinguiba — 11.35°S, 37.46°WCastle Hayne — 34.64°N, 77.65°WCastle Hayne — 34.37°N, 77.86°WCastle Hayne — 34.97°N, 78.05°WCastle Hayne — 34.44°N, 77.83°WCastle Hayne — 34.75°N, 77.43°WCastle Hayne — 35.36°N, 77.32°WCastle Hayne — 34.87°N, 78.05°WCastle Hayne — 34.66°N, 77.73°WCastle Hayne — 34.80°N, 78.02°WCastle Hayne — 35.01°N, 77.57°WCastle Hayne — 35.29°N, 77.29°WCastle Hayne — 34.92°N, 77.43°WCastle Hayne — 34.23°N, 77.94°WCastle Hayne — 34.30°N, 77.95°WCastle Hayne — 34.85°N, 77.70°WCastle Hayne — 34.64°N, 77.96°WCastle Hayne — 35.25°N, 77.44°WCastle Hayne — 35.01°N, 77.51°WCastle Hayne — 35.24°N, 77.20°WMaastricht — 50.87°N, 5.68°EMaastricht — 50.87°N, 5.98°EMaastricht — 50.88°N, 5.93°EMaastricht — 50.83°N, 5.76°EMaastricht — 50.85°N, 5.70°EMaastricht — 50.85°N, 6.77°EMaastricht — 50.86°N, 5.79°EMaastricht — 51.22°N, 5.75°EMaastricht — 50.83°N, 5.64°ECassian — 46.54°N, 11.62°ECassian — 46.68°N, 12.15°ECassian — 46.52°N, 11.96°ECassian — 46.47°N, 12.07°ECassian — 46.64°N, 12.20°ECassian — 46.53°N, 11.92°ECassian — 46.54°N, 12.25°ECassian — 46.59°N, 12.26°ECassian — 46.48°N, 11.81°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.13°N, 6.77°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.99°N, 6.71°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.89°N, 6.48°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.90°N, 6.34°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.04°N, 6.62°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.01°N, 6.35°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.02°N, 6.75°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.86°N, 6.45°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.05°N, 6.52°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.95°N, 6.31°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.88°N, 6.32°ECabo de Lata — 43.49°N, 3.79°WCabo de Lata — 42.84°N, 2.18°WCabo de Lata — 42.91°N, 1.78°WGulpen — 50.73°N, 5.63°EGulpen — 50.76°N, 5.66°EGulpen — 50.73°N, 5.67°ESimsima — 24.87°N, 55.95°ESimsima — 24.89°N, 55.93°EOlazagutia — 42.88°N, 2.20°WPrairie Bluff — 34.25°N, 88.97°WPrairie Bluff — 34.24°N, 89.00°WPrairie Bluff — 33.90°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 33.79°N, 88.97°WPrairie Bluff — 33.79°N, 88.91°WPrairie Bluff — 33.72°N, 88.92°WPrairie Bluff — 33.51°N, 88.81°WPrairie Bluff — 33.38°N, 88.74°WPrairie Bluff — 32.90°N, 88.46°WPrairie Bluff — 34.48°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 33.03°N, 88.56°WPrairie Bluff — 32.73°N, 88.30°WPrairie Bluff — 32.74°N, 88.36°WPrairie Bluff — 32.70°N, 88.17°WPrairie Bluff — 32.61°N, 88.24°WPrairie Bluff — 32.43°N, 88.04°WPrairie Bluff — 32.39°N, 87.92°WPrairie Bluff — 32.23°N, 87.50°WPrairie Bluff — 32.14°N, 87.42°WPrairie Bluff — 32.04°N, 87.26°WPrairie Bluff — 32.05°N, 86.81°WPrairie Bluff — 32.04°N, 86.79°WPrairie Bluff — 31.97°N, 86.72°WPrairie Bluff — 32.00°N, 86.48°WPrairie Bluff — 31.98°N, 86.00°WPrairie Bluff — 31.98°N, 85.92°WPrairie Bluff — 32.07°N, 87.33°WPrairie Bluff — 34.76°N, 88.92°WPrairie Bluff — 34.56°N, 88.99°WPrairie Bluff — 34.41°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 32.34°N, 86.77°WPrairie Bluff — 34.05°N, 88.97°WSantee Limestone — 33.33°N, 80.15°WSantee Limestone — 33.45°N, 80.16°WSantee Limestone — 33.51°N, 80.49°WSantee Limestone — 33.41°N, 80.10°WSantee Limestone — 33.33°N, 79.69°WSantee Limestone — 33.25°N, 80.45°WSantee Limestone — 33.18°N, 79.95°WSantee Limestone — 33.41°N, 80.30°WSantee Limestone — 33.45°N, 80.16°WSantee Limestone — 33.24°N, 79.46°WSantee Limestone — 33.57°N, 80.54°WSantee Limestone — 33.35°N, 80.25°WVaqueros — 34.04°N, 120.04°WVaqueros — 33.54°N, 117.78°WVaqueros — 33.68°N, 117.76°WVaqueros — 33.55°N, 117.82°WVaqueros — 33.77°N, 117.89°WVaqueros — 33.70°N, 117.71°WVaqueros — 33.78°N, 117.70°WVaqueros — 33.64°N, 117.59°WVaqueros — 34.33°N, 118.83°WVaqueros — 34.38°N, 118.95°WVaqueros — 34.30°N, 117.49°WVaqueros — 33.98°N, 120.09°WVaqueros — 34.99°N, 120.36°WVaqueros — 34.33°N, 119.03°WVaqueros — 34.04°N, 118.88°WVaqueros — 34.07°N, 118.71°WVaqueros — 34.37°N, 118.82°WVaqueros — 34.32°N, 119.08°WVaqueros — 34.36°N, 118.94°WVaqueros — 34.45°N, 118.92°WVaqueros — 34.57°N, 119.05°WVaqueros — 34.37°N, 119.33°WVaqueros — 34.44°N, 119.20°WVaqueros — 34.52°N, 120.43°WVaqueros — 34.57°N, 120.29°WVaqueros — 34.58°N, 120.16°WVaqueros — 34.92°N, 119.13°WVaqueros — 34.98°N, 120.21°WVaqueros — 35.31°N, 120.04°WVaqueros — 35.25°N, 120.06°WVaqueros — 35.81°N, 121.05°WVaqueros — 35.84°N, 121.05°WVaqueros — 35.77°N, 120.93°WVaqueros — 36.07°N, 121.28°WVaqueros — 36.18°N, 121.31°WGrizzle — 50.80°N, 0.18°EMaastricht — 50.79°N, 5.63°EMaastricht — 50.80°N, 5.67°EHalal — 30.37°N, 34.45°EHalal — 30.37°N, 33.52°EHalal — 30.79°N, 33.48°EHalal — 30.67°N, 33.42°EMoodys Branch — 32.95°N, 90.17°WMoodys Branch — 32.23°N, 92.15°WMoodys Branch — 32.01°N, 92.00°WMoodys Branch — 32.33°N, 90.15°WMoodys Branch — 31.88°N, 88.69°WMoodys Branch — 31.88°N, 88.32°WMoodys Branch — 31.77°N, 88.33°WMoodys Branch — 31.50°N, 87.80°WMoodys Branch — 31.71°N, 87.78°WMoodys Branch — 31.26°N, 86.77°WMoodys Branch — 31.31°N, 86.48°WMoodys Branch — 31.03°N, 85.86°WMoodys Branch — 31.03°N, 85.85°WMoodys Branch — 30.71°N, 84.86°WMoodys Branch — 31.55°N, 87.58°WMoodys Branch — 31.14°N, 87.94°WMoodys Branch — 32.70°N, 83.56°WMoodys Branch — 31.10°N, 86.09°WMoodys Branch — 31.57°N, 88.04°WMoodys Branch — 31.54°N, 87.52°WMoodys Branch — 31.60°N, 87.64°WMoodys Branch — 31.21°N, 86.13°WMoodys Branch — 31.28°N, 86.57°WCrystal River Limestone — 31.31°N, 86.48°WCrystal River Limestone — 31.25°N, 86.77°WCrystal River Limestone — 30.12°N, 83.58°WCrystal River Limestone — 30.77°N, 85.23°WCrystal River Limestone — 30.05°N, 83.18°WCrystal River Limestone — 29.25°N, 82.17°WCrystal River Limestone — 29.67°N, 83.39°WCrystal River Limestone — 28.93°N, 82.70°WCrystal River Limestone — 28.90°N, 82.59°WCrystal River Limestone — 29.19°N, 82.14°WWinchell — 31.50°N, 98.58°WWinchell — 33.03°N, 98.07°WWinchell — 31.84°N, 99.00°WQingyan — 26.33°N, 106.68°ETortonian Limestone — 35.00°N, 24.76°EVincentown — 39.97°N, 74.68°WVincentown — 39.94°N, 74.75°WVincentown — 39.88°N, 75.13°WVincentown — 39.93°N, 74.75°WVincentown — 39.80°N, 75.06°WVincentown — 40.04°N, 74.98°WGraham — 32.73°N, 98.64°WGraham — 33.26°N, 98.11°WGraham — 33.18°N, 98.12°WGraham — 33.17°N, 98.16°WGraham — 33.15°N, 98.16°WGraham — 33.10°N, 98.40°WGraham — 33.12°N, 98.51°WGraham — 33.12°N, 98.30°W

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The named rock units Echinoidea has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. 1,227 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 3,480 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Echinoidea and its relatives

Late Cretaceous

Where Echinoidea and its relatives were recorded in the Late Cretaceous.

Found in the same rock

2,074 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records at least 945 sites for Echinoidea, and this reads 240 of them. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

1,377 references

Each of the 11,653 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. 1,365 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content2

Picture of Echinoidea

Credit
Nhobgood ( talk ) Nick Hobgood
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0
Commercial use
the licence allows it

3D model

Source
Sketchfab
Licence
CC0 Public Domain
Commercial use
the licence allows it

Smithsonian Open Access was not reached for this taxon, so this list is what the others held rather than everything there is.

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

Everything alive alongside itEchinozoa through timeFormations of the Late CretaceousThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. (Leske 1778)