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Pronounced – E-ki-noid
Meaning of name – Greek is “Echinos” – meaning “Hedgehog”
Group – Echinoids, Echinoderms
Age – Cretaceous, around 100 million years old
Sea urchins are still alive today and are related to starfish and sea lillies. These creatures would have lived on the Cretaceous seafloor. These fossils have been preserved in flint and chert which can make them hard to spot on the beach. Sea urchins are from a different layer of rock than most of the other fossils of Charmouth. They originate from the Gault and Upper Greensand which is around 100 million years old.
Go to our local seashore life page to find out more about the sea urchins that are alive on our shores today.
Also check out our Facebook page for recent finds and news from the Centre.
Echinoid
