How Do You Spell HEMICIDARIS?

1. Hemicidaris is a noun that refers to a genus of extinct sea urchins that lived during the Mesozoic era, specifically during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous periods. It is believed to have first appeared around 190 million years ago and became extinct approximately 135 million years ago. Hemicidaris belonged to the family Cidaridae and was characterized by a round, spiny body with a flattened bottom.

   The hemicidaris had a distinctive appearance with a round shape, covered in numerous small, sharp spines that served as a protective armor. These spines were attached to the underlying rigid test, or skeleton, of the sea urchin, creating a defense mechanism against potential predators. The test was composed of numerous plates tightly joined together, which provided additional protection and stability to the organism.

   Hemicidaris inhabited shallow marine environments, including coral reefs and rocky shorelines. They were primarily herbivorous, feeding on algae and other plant material present in their surroundings. Like other sea urchins, they possessed a specialized structure called Aristotle's lantern, which consisted of intricate jaw-like appendages used to scrape and crush their food.

   Fossils of hemicidaris have been found in various locations around the world, including Europe, Africa, and South America, providing valuable insights into the ancient marine ecosystems and evolutionary history. The genus Hemicidaris is important in paleontological studies as its fossils are often used as index fossils, helping scientists determine the relative age of sedimentary rock layers.

2. In geol., a genus of turban echinites.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for HEMICIDARIS

The word hemicidaris has its etymology rooted in Greek. It is derived from two Greek words: hemi meaning half and cidaris meaning a mythical crown.

In terms of the Greek language, hemi is a prefix that denotes something to be half or halved, while cidaris refers to a type of royal headgear or crown. The combining of these two terms gives us hemicidaris, which refers to a specific genus of fossilized sea urchin.

This name was likely chosen due to the unique appearance of the hemicidaris sea urchin, which, when viewed from above, exhibits a somewhat crown-like shape, resembling the mythical crown referred to in the word cidaris.