Spatangus
Spatangus is a genus of heart urchins in the Spatangidae family. The genus is synonymous with the previously recognised genera Prospatangus Lambert, 1902 and Spatagus. There are nine recognised species. The type species is Spatangus purpureus Müller, 1776 by subsequent designation.
Spatangus comprises marine heart urchins that feed on subsurface deposits and graze.
Fossil of heart urchins of this genus have been found in the sediments of Europe, United States, Egypt and Australia from Cretaceous to Pliocene.
Species within this genus include:Spatangus altus Mortensen, 1907Spatangus baixadoleitensis Maury, 1934a †Spatangus beryl Fell, 1963Spatangus brissusSpatangus californicus H.L. Clark, 1917Spatangus capensis Döderlein, 1905Spatangus diomedeae Fell, 1963Spatangus glenni Cooke, 1959 †Spatangus inermis Mortensen, 1913Spatangus luetkeni A. Agassiz, 1872Spatangus lutkeni A. Agassiz, 1872Spatangus mathesoni McKnight, 1968Spatangus multispinus Mortensen, 1925Spatangus pallidus H.L. Clark, 1908Spatangus paucituberculatus A. Agassiz & H.L. Clark, 1907Spatangus purpureus Spatangus raschi Lovén, 1869Spatangus savignyi FourtauSpatangus subinermis Pomel, 1887Spatangus tapinus Schenck, 1928 †Spatangus thor Fell, 1963