Conoclypus

Conoclypus - from the Greek words Konos (= cone) + clypus (= disc) - is a genus of sea urchins belonging to the family Conoclypeidae.

Conoclypus
Fossil of Conoclypus conoideus at the Naturmuseum Senckenberg, Frankfurt
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Echinoidea
Order:	Clypeasteroida
Family:	Conoclypeidae
Genus:	Conoclypus Agassiz 1839

Description

These fossil echinoderms are characterized by a conical calcareous structure. They were slow-moving semi-infaunal detritivore, living in the late Eocene until the Miocene.

Distribution

Species of this genus have been found in Miocene of Austria and in Eocene of Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Pakistan.

Species

• Conoclypus conoideus (Leske, 1778); Middle Eocene, Europe
• Conoclypus pilgrimi Davies, 1927; Lower Eocene, Pakistan
• Conoclypus pinfoldi Gill, 1953; Lower Eocene, Pakistan
• Conoclypus lorioli (Dames, 1877); Eocene, Italy & Slovenia

References

• The Paleobiology Database
• Sepkoski, Jack Sepkoski's Online Genus Databases
• Natural History Museum
• Vasja Mikuž Eocene sea urchins Conoclypus conoideus from the paleontological collection of the Department of Geology, University in Ljubljana