Néraudeau, D., Borghi, E. & Roman, J. 1998. Le genre d'échinide Spatangus dans les localités du Pliocène et du Pléistocénee d'Émilie (Italie du Nord). Annales de Paléontologie 84, 243-264.

169606

Néraudeau, D.; Borghi, E.; Roman, J.

1998

84: 243-264

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The study of well-preserved Pliocene and Pleistocene Spatangus from Emilia is used to analyze the morphological variations of Mediterranean populations, to depict the relationship between fasciole shape and other morphological characteristics and to describe previously unpublished pedicellar valves. These new data allow to be two species distinguished: Spatangus purpureus (Muller) and S. subinermis Pomel; six species closely related to S. subinermis are synonymized: S. simus and S. varians Pomel, S. lamberti and S. ambiguus Checchia-Rispoli, S. macraulax Simonelli and the recent species from Mediterranean, S. inermis Mortensen. S. subinermis can be distinguished from S. purpureus by its heart-shaped subanal fasciole, when the S. purpureus one is reniform. Moreover, the frontal groove of S. subinermis is deeper, the primary tubercles of the interambulacra 1 and 4 are less numerous, the petals are shorter and narrower, the labrum is shorter. As far as pedicellariae are concerned, the jags of the large tridentate ones are stronger and the base of the globiferous ones is bigger. Palaeoecological observations on outcrops of the Stirone River, in Parme region, show similar environmental affinities between fossil populations and recent populations from Mediterranean. The Spatangus fossils seem to be preserved within their life environment, that is to say in shore sandy substrates.

Italy

Echinoidea

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