Paleogene Echinoids of Florida

Abstract

Sixty-five species and nine indeterminate taxa of Florida Paleogene echinoids are discussed, and their geographic and stratigraphic distributions provided. These include 49 species documented from the Eocene and 16 from the Oligocene. Ten new species are described: Prionocidaris robertsi n. sp., Rhyncholampas mariannaensis n. sp., Rhyncholampas bao n. sp., Weisbordella inglisensis n. sp., Weisbordella libum n. sp., Durhamella tetrapora n. sp., and Brissus jonesi n. sp. from the Eocene; and Plagiobrissus cassadyi n. sp., Eupatagus dumonti n. sp., and Schizaster carlsoni n. sp. from the Oligocene. We reconsidered subjective junior synonyms of all species and resurrect Neolaganum archerensis, Echinocyamus macneili, and Eupatagus mooreanus. Furthermore, we updated the taxonomy for all included species and their known distributions and provide emended diagnoses for the genera and species of Florida Neolaganidae. In addition, we herein report the occurrence of Porpitella micra in Cretaceous strata of the subsurface of Florida. This remarkable finding makes P. micra the earliest known of all the scutelloids. Echinoids within the Ocala Limestone are placed in five echinoid biozones, which are defined within, these include the Oligopygus phelani, Oligopygus haldemani, Oligopygus wetherbyi, Wythella eldridgei, and Haimea brooksi Zones. This document complements the Neogene (including the Quaternary) fossil echinoid fauna of Florida we published in 2020 and represents a compilation of the known Florida Paleogene echinoid record. The region is currently known to have the most speciose and diverse assemblage of Paleogene echinoids in the United States.