Irregularia is an extant infraclass of sea urchins that first appeared in the Lower Jurassic.

Irregularia
Temporal range: Lower Jurassic–recent
Echinocardium cordatum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Subclass: Euechinoidea
Infraclass: Irregularia
Latreille, 1825
Superorders

Atelostomata
Neognathostomata

Description and characteristics

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These particular sea urchins are distinguished from other sea urchins by their irregular shape: the anus and often even the mouth are at the two poles of the test, creating a bilateral symmetry instead of the classical 5-fold symmetry of echinoderms. The group includes the well known heart urchins, as well as flattened sand dollars, sea biscuits and some other forms. Most of them live inside the sediment, moving in thanks to their particular spines, and feed on its organic fraction.

Taxonomy

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Fossil of an Hemipneustes pyrenaicus (Holasteroida).
 
Fossil of a Conulus subroundatus (Echinoneoida).
 
 
Echinolampas ovalis, Middle Eocene, Civrac-en-Médoc, France.
 
Echinolampas ovalis, Middle Eocene, Civrac-en-Médoc, France; oral surface.

References

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  • Barnes, Robert D. (1982). Invertebrate Zoology. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders International. p. 981. ISBN 0-03-056747-5.
  • Kroh A, Mooi R (eds.). "Irregularia". World Echinoidea Database. World Register of Marine Species.