Article: Tertiary holasteroid echinoids from Australia and New Zealand

All known holasteroid echinoid species from the Tertiary rocks of Australia and New Zealand are described and illustrated. All except Echinocorys australis sp. nov., from the Palaeocene of Western Australia, belong to genera confined to Australia and New Zealand. Other holasterids are Giraliaster jubileensis gen. et sp. nov. with additional species G. tertiarius (Gregory). G. sulcatus (Hulton) (= Cardiaster latecordatus Tate). and G. bellissae sp. nov. A new family Corystidae is proposed for holasleroids wilh a central rostral plate. Included in the family are Corystus dysasteroides (Duncan) (= Duncaniaster australiae (Duncan) = Galeraster australiae Cotteau). Cardabia bullarensis gen. et sp. nov., and Huttonechinus spatangiformis (Hutton) gen. nov. The distribution of holasteroid echinoids in Australia and New Zealand indicates shallow water connection between the Southern Ocean and the Tasman Sea from the Palaeocene onwards, and that west- east trans-Tasman migration of echinoids has proceeded throughout the Cainozoic. The holasteroids provide evidence against the concept of a relatively cosmopolitan echinoid fauna in southern Australasia during the Palaeocene to Miocene. The precursors of the fauna, prior to the separation of Australia from Antarctica, are to be sought in the Indian Ocean area.