Prionocidaris cojimarensis Lambert, 1926
Plate: PrCo-10
Series: Oligocene Group: Catahoula Formation: Anahuac
Locale: Damond Mound County: Brazoria Stage: Chattian
Length: 11.7 mm (longest)
Specimen in photos: NPL3846
Collector: (Not specified)
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: Sanchez Roig Collection Type No. 1380 (Sanchez Roig, 1949).
Locality: Cojimar, Havana Province, Cuba.
Stratigraphy: Cojimar Formation (Miocene).
SYNONYMY
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY – TAXONOMY
Class: Echinoidea Leske, 1778
Subclass: Cidaroidea Smith, 1984
Order: Cidaroida Claus, 1880
Family: Cidaridae Gray, 1825
Genus: PRIONOCIDARIS A. Agassiz, 1863
Species: Prionocidaris cojimarensis Lambert, 1926
TYPE SPECIES: Cidarites pistillaris Lamarck, 1816
DIAGNOSIS
Species defined primarily by its primary spines. Spines are robust, cylindrical, and ornamented with distinct thorns or spinules arranged in regular longitudinal series. The collar is short and finely striated (Lambert, 1926).
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Catahoula (Texas equivalent).
Formations: Anahuac Formation (Heterostegina Zone).
Stratigraphic Units: Paleogene (Late Oligocene) to Neogene (Miocene).
Counties: Brazoria (Texas).
Abundance: Rare; typically found as isolated spines in the Gulf Coast.
DESCRIPTION
(Note: Description is based on the spine morphology characteristic of the species, as the test is unknown in the Texas material).
SPINES: Shape: Cylindrical (baculiform) and robust.
Ornamentation: The shaft is covered with distinct, sharp granules (spinules) or thorns. These thorns are arranged in regular longitudinal lines (series), distinguishing it from species with irregular thorny patterns.
Collar: Short and finely striated.
Comparison: Resembles the spines of the Recent Prionocidaris bispinosa but the granulation is more regular (Lambert, 1926).
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION: One specimen (NPL 3846) from Damon Mound. The specimen is a fragment (spine).
ETYMOLOGY
Named for Cojimar, Cuba, the type locality.
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: This species was originally described from the Neogene of Cuba. Its presence in the Anahuac Formation of Texas (Damon Mound) correlates with the Caribbean affinity of the fauna in this zone. The text regarding Goniocidaris provided in the initial notes refers to a different genus and has been excluded; Prionocidaris lacks the deep sutural pits characteristic of Goniocidaris.
Comparisons:
Plate: PrCo-10
Series: Oligocene Group: Catahoula Formation: Anahuac
Locale: Damond Mound County: Brazoria Stage: Chattian
Length: 11.7 mm (longest)
Specimen in photos: NPL3846
Collector: (Not specified)
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: Sanchez Roig Collection Type No. 1380 (Sanchez Roig, 1949).
Locality: Cojimar, Havana Province, Cuba.
Stratigraphy: Cojimar Formation (Miocene).
SYNONYMY
- Prionocidaris cojimarensis Lambert, 1926
- Cidaris (Prionocidaris) cojimarensis (Lambert) Sanchez Roig, 1949
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY – TAXONOMY
Class: Echinoidea Leske, 1778
Subclass: Cidaroidea Smith, 1984
Order: Cidaroida Claus, 1880
Family: Cidaridae Gray, 1825
Genus: PRIONOCIDARIS A. Agassiz, 1863
Species: Prionocidaris cojimarensis Lambert, 1926
TYPE SPECIES: Cidarites pistillaris Lamarck, 1816
DIAGNOSIS
Species defined primarily by its primary spines. Spines are robust, cylindrical, and ornamented with distinct thorns or spinules arranged in regular longitudinal series. The collar is short and finely striated (Lambert, 1926).
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Catahoula (Texas equivalent).
Formations: Anahuac Formation (Heterostegina Zone).
Stratigraphic Units: Paleogene (Late Oligocene) to Neogene (Miocene).
Counties: Brazoria (Texas).
Abundance: Rare; typically found as isolated spines in the Gulf Coast.
DESCRIPTION
(Note: Description is based on the spine morphology characteristic of the species, as the test is unknown in the Texas material).
SPINES: Shape: Cylindrical (baculiform) and robust.
Ornamentation: The shaft is covered with distinct, sharp granules (spinules) or thorns. These thorns are arranged in regular longitudinal lines (series), distinguishing it from species with irregular thorny patterns.
Collar: Short and finely striated.
Comparison: Resembles the spines of the Recent Prionocidaris bispinosa but the granulation is more regular (Lambert, 1926).
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION: One specimen (NPL 3846) from Damon Mound. The specimen is a fragment (spine).
ETYMOLOGY
Named for Cojimar, Cuba, the type locality.
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: This species was originally described from the Neogene of Cuba. Its presence in the Anahuac Formation of Texas (Damon Mound) correlates with the Caribbean affinity of the fauna in this zone. The text regarding Goniocidaris provided in the initial notes refers to a different genus and has been excluded; Prionocidaris lacks the deep sutural pits characteristic of Goniocidaris.
Comparisons:
- Prionocidaris bispinosa: The fossil spines of P. cojimarensis are morphologically similar to this extant species but are distinguished by the more ordered arrangement of the thorns along the shaft (Lambert, 1926).
