The Echinoid Directory

 Micrasterine spatangoids with:

• apical disc ethmolytic;
• labral plate short; wider than long and just contacting second ambulacral plate;
• sternal plates paired and symmetric; rear of sternal plate abuts ambulacral plate I.b.5 and rear of episternal plate abuts plate I.b.6;
• episternal plates strongly tapered to rear;
• inner and subanal fascioles present.

Lower Miocene to Recent; worldwide.

 Mortensen (1951) distinguished Echinocardium from the other members he accepted in the Loveniidae, placing it in its own subfamily. This seems justified. The short, wide labral plate distinguishes it from all other genera, as does the fact that the subanal fasciole and episternal plates are entirely posterior and do not extend onto the oral surface.