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Anochanus Grube, 1869, p. 178

Diagnostic Features
  • Test small (9.5 mm), moderately inflated, ovoid, not posteriorly broadened with centrally depressed adoral surface, greatest width and height posterior to centre.
  • Apical system deeply sunken in the female? Grube (1869) describes a large sunken \'marsupium\' covered by overlying spines, with no madreporite or genital plates present.
  • Ambulacra narrow, with simple primaries only, apetaloid; pore pairs uniserial.
  • Peristome subcentral, oval.
  • Periproct supramarginal, with a deep anal sulcus.
  • Phyllodes unknown.
  • Bourrelets poorly developed.
  • Presence or absence of buccal pores unknown.
  • Tubercles small, sparsely distributed.
Distribution Recent, China Sea.
Name gender masculine
Type Anochanus sinensis Grube, 1869, p. 178, by original designation.
Species Included
  • Only the type species.
Classification and/or Status Irregularia; Cassiduloida?; Incertae sedis.
Remarks Grube (1869, p. 178) erected this genus based on a single specimen. He describes Anochanus sinensis as having no apical system, lacking either genital plates or a madreporite. He describes a large sunken sack, covered by overlying spines, in which he finds juvenile replicas of the adult specimen. From this information it would appear that he is describing a marsupium. Grube states that he was unable to find any gonads connected to the brood chamber, but surmises that they must arise at the surface of the brood sack. Unfortunately Grube (1869) did not produce any plates or figures of the type species.

In the 'Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology' it is stated that Anochanus may be based on the females of Aphanopora. However, until more is known about the type species, particularly the missing apical system, the validity of this poorly known genus must remain in question.

E. Grube. 1869. Ueber einen lebendig gebarenden Seeigel (Anochanus). Monatsberichte Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1868, pp. 178-180.

J. W. Durham, K. E. Caster, H. Exline, H. B. Fell, A. G. Fischer, D. L. Pawson, G. Regnell, W. K. Spencer, G. Ubaghs, C. D. Wagner, and C. W. Wright. 1966. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part U Echinodermata 3. The Geological Society of America and The University of Kansas Press, 2, pp. U367-U695.