Mecaster texanus (Echinoidea) from Turonian-Coniacian strata in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, Brazil

Abstract

The spatangoid echinoid Mecaster texanus (Roemer) was first described from the Austin Chalk in Texas (USA). In northeast Brazil, this species was recorded from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian-Coniacian) Jandaira Formation in the Potiguar Basin. Here we extend the palaeogeographical distribution of M. texanus southwards to the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, where this species occurs in the Turonian-Coniacian Cotinguiba Formation. A key to identification of spatangoids from the Cretaceous-Cenozoic sequence at Sergipe-Alagoas is added and considerations about other spatangoid species from that basin are presented.