Echinoderm research

Project summary

• Focus: The diversification and evolution of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic echinoderms

The Museum's Earth Science Echinoderm research focuses on the diversification and evolution of various groups during the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic, particularly starfish, brittle stars, crinoids and the extinct edrioasteroids.

Current projects include:

Starfish (Asteroid) systematics

Principal Investigator: Dr Tim Ewin

The phylogenetic tree of modern starfish (Neoasteroids) is highly controversial, with competing hypotheses on the positions and relationships of major clades. This has raised questions about primitiveness and the evolution of Neoasteroids from Palaeozoic ancestors. Museum research is focusing on clarifying the characters of key new fossil taxa and the impact this will have on existing starfish phylogenies.

Brittle Star (Ophiuroid) systematics

Principal Investigator: Dr Tim Ewin

Advances in the understanding of Ophiuroid systematics are forcing a reappraisal of fossil material. In collaboration with other researchers and amateur collectors, we are describing newly collected material and new species, alongside a review of existing museum collections. This is providing more evidence for the Mesozoic diversity of this important marine group and the origins of modern clades.

Our work includes studying fossils from the Cretaceous of the Isle of Wight and Lewes, East Sussex and the Jurassic of southern England.

Crinoid Taxonomy and Palaeoecology

Principal Investigators: Dr Fiona Fearnhead (FF) and Dr Tim Ewin (TE)

Crinoid research focuses on the Silurian (FF), Devonian (FF) and Mesozoic (TE) fossil record. Projects include:

• monographing British Devonian crinoids
• researching new modes of life for Jurassic crinoids
• developing of Liassic (Lower Jurassic) faunal guides

Edrioasteroid taxonomy

Principal Investigator: Dr Tim Ewin

Edrioasteroids are extinct, small, pentaradiate echinoderms which lived permanently attached to hard substrates. In collaboration with amateur collectors a new species of Edrioasteroid (primitive echinoderm) is being described from the Silurian of Canada, along with an appraisal of its phylogenetic position.