The Echinoid Directory

Contributed by Simon Coppard, October 2006

Coelopleurus (Keraiophorus) interruptus Doderlein, 1910, p. 257

Diagnostic Features	The test is subcircular and has broad, straight edged, naked median interambulacral regions. These are brown, with each median region having a lilac zizag line that starts from the genital plate and continues to the ambitus. These naked median regions have white borders that continue to the ambitus. The adradial regions are red, the same colour as the median regions of the ambulacra. Primary spines are almost straight and robust in appearance, being distinctly triangular in cross-section. The primary spines are unbanded and uniformly dull purplish-red. The spine's collar is smooth either side of the central dorsal ridge, with a few longitudinal ridges on the ventral surface. Secondary spines are pointed, tapering distally (not club-shaped). Ophicephalous pedicellariae have constricted valves aborally, with distal and proximal regions of equal length. Oral ophicephalous pedicellariae have unconstricted valves.
Classification and/or Status	Euechinoidea, Stirodonta, Arbacioida, Arbaciidae, Coelopleurus.
Remarks	This species has primarily been differentiated from other Recent Coelopleurus by the white borders of the naked median regions of the interambulacra. However, these appear to be very similar to those of C. (K.) vittatus. Both these species also have straight and robust primary spines (differentiating them from all other Recent Coelopleurus) indicating that they are likely to be closely related. Mortensen, T. 1935. A Monograph of the Echinoidea. II. Bothriocidaroida, Melonechinoida, Lepidocentroida, and Stirodonta. C. A. Reitzel & Oxford Univ. Press, Copenhagen & London, 647 pp.