description Echinocardium australe Overview
Echinocardium australe is a scientific name for a heart urchin, an irregular sea urchin in the order Spatangoida. The name was published by John Edward Gray in 1851 for material associated with Australia and New Zealand, but current marine taxonomic databases treat it as a synonym of Echinocardium cordatum. Like other Echinocardium, it is a burrowing form adapted to soft marine sediments rather than a free-living urchin on exposed rock.
help Echinocardium australe FAQ
What is Echinocardium australe?
Echinocardium australe is the scientific name of a heart urchin, an irregular sea urchin in the order Spatangoida. The name was published by John Edward Gray in 1851.
Where is Echinocardium australe associated?
The original name was based on material associated with Australia and New Zealand. Its current taxonomic treatment should be checked in a modern marine database because names and synonymy can change.
Is Echinocardium australe a regular sea urchin?
No. It is an irregular sea urchin, commonly called a heart urchin, rather than a radially symmetrical regular urchin. Heart urchins are adapted to living in or on marine sediment.
Is Echinocardium australe still accepted as a separate species?
Current marine taxonomic databases treat the name as a synonym. That means modern authorities may place the material under another accepted species name rather than using Echinocardium australe as the current valid name.
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