Loveniidae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of
heart urchins in the
order Spatangoida
The heart urchins or Spatangoida are an order of sea urchins.
Their body is a somewhat elongated oval in form, and is distinguished by the mouth being placed towards one end of the animal, and the anus towards the other. As a result, heart urc ...
.
Description and characteristics
These sea urchins are called "heart urchins" due to their specific shape, looking like a heart when seen from below (more or less depending on the genus). The mouth is located between the two cheeks, and the anus below the tip.
Genera
According to the World Register of Marine Species:
* genus ''
Araeolampas''
Serafy, 1974
* genus ''
Atelospatangus''
Koch, 1885 †
* genus ''Breynia''
Desor, in Agassiz & Desor, 1847
* genus ''
Chuniola''
Gagel, 1903 †
* sub-family
Echinocardiinae Cooke, 1942
** genus ''
Echinocardium
''Echinocardium'' is a genus of sea urchins of the family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is ...
''
Gray, 1825
* genus ''
Gualtieria''
Desor, in Agassiz & Desor, 1847 †
* genus ''
Hemipatagus''
Desor, 1858 †
* genus ''
Laevipatagus''
Noetling, 1885 †
* genus ''
Lovenia''
Desor, in Agassiz & Desor, 1847
* genus ''
Pseudolovenia''
A. Agassiz & H.L. Clark, 1907b
* genus ''
Semipetalion''
Szörényi, 1963 †
* genus ''
Spatangomorpha''
Boehm, 1882 †
Image:Echinocardium cordatum - sea potato.jpg, Shell of an ''Echinocardium cordatum
''Echinocardium cordatum'', also known as the common heart urchin or the sea potato, is a sea urchin in the family (biology), family Loveniidae. It is found in sub-tidal regions in the NE Atlantic. Other un-named species have been identified as t ...
'', orale face.
Image:Lovenia heart urchin (Lovenia elongata).jpg, '' Lovenia elongata''
References
*
*
Spatangoida
{{echinoidea-stub