Asterocidaris Temporal range:
| |
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Fossil of Asterocidaris species from Morocco | |
Fossil spicules of Asterocidaris meandrina | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Echinodermata |
Class: | Echinoidea |
Infraclass: | Carinacea |
Family: | †Hemicidaridae |
Genus: | †Asterocidaris Cotteau, 1859[1] |
Asterocidaris is a genus of fossils sea urchins in the family Hemicidaridae. These epifaunal grazer-deposit feeders lived in the Middle and Upper Jurassic age (from 171.6 to 161.2 Ma).[2]
These fossil spined echinoid sea urchins can reach a diameter of about 25 millimetres (0.98 in), with spicules of about 69x60mm.[5] They are hemispherical, flattened beneath, with small apical disc.[6]
Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the Middle to Upper Jurassic sediments (Bajocian-Oxfordian) in Europe, Madagascar and Africa (Morocco).[4][6]