described parts of some crinoid. In addition, several papers describing the crinoids
and blastoids from the Ponta Grossa Formation were published by Scheffler (2003,
2004, 2006) and Scheffler and Fernandes (2003, 2007a, b). Descriptions of crinoid
species from the Maecuru Formation (Devonian of the Amazon Basin) were presented by Scheffler et al. (2006).
The Cretaceous echinoderms from Brazil were identified for the first time by
White (1887) with the description of 13 echinoid species collected by the Geologic
Commission of the Empire of Brazil from the Cretaceous of the Sergipe-Alagoas
Basin. Derby (1907) reported a little echinoid near the Maraú Peninsula, in the
Camamu Basin, Bahia State. In the 1920s and 1930s, Maury (1925, 1930, 1934a,
b, 1937) studied the basins from the northeast of Brazil. She described echinoids
from the Sergipe-Alagoas, Potiguar and Pernambuco-Paraíba Basins, and the
asteroid Uraster janettae from the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin. She also revised the
paper published by White in 1887 adding two new species. Oliveira (1957)
described a new species of Hemiaster from Pernambuco-Paraíba Basin.
Few decades later, some authors studied the echinoid fauna from the sedimentary basins of the northeast and north of Brazil from the 1950s to the 1980s,
e.g. Santos (1958a, b) who recorded one species of Salenia sp. in the Camamu
Basin; Santos and Cunha (1959) Santos (1960a, b) who found new species in the
Potiguar Basin; Beurlen (1961, 1964a, b, 1966), who made systematic reviews,
identified two new echinoids species from the Araripe Basin and a new echinoid
species from the Pernambuco-Paraíba Basin. Tinoco (1963) reported fragments of
ophiuroids, echinoids, asteroids and holothuroids from Maria Farinha Formation,
Tertiary from Pernambuco-Paraíba Basin. Brito (1964, 1980, 1981a, b, c) gave
descriptions of the echinoid fauna from the Cretaceous and the Tertiary.
Smith and Bengtson (1991), who published a review with 39 species of echinoids from the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, made some observations about echinoids
from the other Cretaceous Basins of northeastern Brazil. They described two new
genera (Colliclypeus and Acriaster) and a new species (Acriaster sergipensis) from
the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin. They also concluded that the Brazilian echinoid fauna
has great affinities with the West African fauna and a connection with the Texan
and Mexican fauna.
Ferré et al. (1996) described species of the roveocrinids crinoids from the
Turonian (Cretaceous) of the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, and Ferré and Bengtson
(1997) recorded Roveocrinus spinosus from the Turonian for the same basin.
According to Morais (1998), Kraatz-Korschlau was the first paleontologist to
publish, in 1900, the presence of the echinoid fauna from the Oligo-Miocene of the
Pirabas Formation, in the north of Pará State. Carvalho (1926) pointed out similarities between echinoid fauna of Fortaleza Island and Bragança County, Pará
State. Santos (1958a, b) recognized an endemic fauna in the Oligo-Miocene of the
Pirabas Formation. This fauna consisted of clyperasteroids and cassidulids, and
great similarities were found with the Oligo-Miocene Caribbean fauna, suggesting
echinoid dispersion to northern Brazil before the Miocene. Santos (1957) was the
first to describe cidaroids and spatangoids from the Pirabas Formation and
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
307
and blastoids from the Ponta Grossa Formation were published by Scheffler (2003,
2004, 2006) and Scheffler and Fernandes (2003, 2007a, b). Descriptions of crinoid
species from the Maecuru Formation (Devonian of the Amazon Basin) were presented by Scheffler et al. (2006).
The Cretaceous echinoderms from Brazil were identified for the first time by
White (1887) with the description of 13 echinoid species collected by the Geologic
Commission of the Empire of Brazil from the Cretaceous of the Sergipe-Alagoas
Basin. Derby (1907) reported a little echinoid near the Maraú Peninsula, in the
Camamu Basin, Bahia State. In the 1920s and 1930s, Maury (1925, 1930, 1934a,
b, 1937) studied the basins from the northeast of Brazil. She described echinoids
from the Sergipe-Alagoas, Potiguar and Pernambuco-Paraíba Basins, and the
asteroid Uraster janettae from the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin. She also revised the
paper published by White in 1887 adding two new species. Oliveira (1957)
described a new species of Hemiaster from Pernambuco-Paraíba Basin.
Few decades later, some authors studied the echinoid fauna from the sedimentary basins of the northeast and north of Brazil from the 1950s to the 1980s,
e.g. Santos (1958a, b) who recorded one species of Salenia sp. in the Camamu
Basin; Santos and Cunha (1959) Santos (1960a, b) who found new species in the
Potiguar Basin; Beurlen (1961, 1964a, b, 1966), who made systematic reviews,
identified two new echinoids species from the Araripe Basin and a new echinoid
species from the Pernambuco-Paraíba Basin. Tinoco (1963) reported fragments of
ophiuroids, echinoids, asteroids and holothuroids from Maria Farinha Formation,
Tertiary from Pernambuco-Paraíba Basin. Brito (1964, 1980, 1981a, b, c) gave
descriptions of the echinoid fauna from the Cretaceous and the Tertiary.
Smith and Bengtson (1991), who published a review with 39 species of echinoids from the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, made some observations about echinoids
from the other Cretaceous Basins of northeastern Brazil. They described two new
genera (Colliclypeus and Acriaster) and a new species (Acriaster sergipensis) from
the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin. They also concluded that the Brazilian echinoid fauna
has great affinities with the West African fauna and a connection with the Texan
and Mexican fauna.
Ferré et al. (1996) described species of the roveocrinids crinoids from the
Turonian (Cretaceous) of the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, and Ferré and Bengtson
(1997) recorded Roveocrinus spinosus from the Turonian for the same basin.
According to Morais (1998), Kraatz-Korschlau was the first paleontologist to
publish, in 1900, the presence of the echinoid fauna from the Oligo-Miocene of the
Pirabas Formation, in the north of Pará State. Carvalho (1926) pointed out similarities between echinoid fauna of Fortaleza Island and Bragança County, Pará
State. Santos (1958a, b) recognized an endemic fauna in the Oligo-Miocene of the
Pirabas Formation. This fauna consisted of clyperasteroids and cassidulids, and
great similarities were found with the Oligo-Miocene Caribbean fauna, suggesting
echinoid dispersion to northern Brazil before the Miocene. Santos (1957) was the
first to describe cidaroids and spatangoids from the Pirabas Formation and
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
307