List of prehistoric sea cucumbers

This list of prehistoric sea cucumbers is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all genera from the fossil record that have ever been considered to be holothuroidea, excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera that are now considered invalid, doubtful (nomina dubia), or were not formally published (nomina nuda), as well as junior synonyms of more established names, and genera that are no longer considered sea cucumbers.

Naming conventions and terminology

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Naming conventions and terminology follow the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature(ICZN). Technical terms used include:

  • Junior synonym: A name which describes the same taxon as a previously published name. If two or more genera are formally designated and the type specimens are later assigned to the same genus, the first to be published (in chronological order) is the senior synonym, and all other instances are junior synonyms. Senior synonyms are generally used, except by special decision of the ICZN, but junior synonyms cannot be used again, even if deprecated. Junior synonymy is often subjective, unless the genera described were both based on the same type specimen.
  • Nomen nudum (Latin for "naked name"): A name that has appeared in print but has not yet been formally published by the standards of the ICZN. Nomina nuda (the plural form) are invalid, and are therefore not italicized as a proper generic name would be. If the name is later formally published, that name is no longer a nomen nudum and will be italicized on this list. Often, the formally published name will differ from any nomina nuda that describe the same specimen.
  • Nomen oblitum (Latin for "forgotten name"): A name that has not been used in the scientific community for more than fifty years after its original proposal.
  • Preoccupied name: A name that is formally published, but which has already been used for another taxon. This second use is invalid (as are all subsequent uses) and the name must be replaced. As preoccupied names are not valid generic names, they will also go unitalicized on this list.
  • Nomen dubium (Latin for "dubious name"): A name describing a fossil with no unique diagnostic features. As this can be an extremely subjective and controversial designation, this term is not used on this list.

The list

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Genus Authors Year Status Age Location Notes

Acanthotheelia

Acanthocaudina

Achistrum

Acutisclerus

Aduncrum

Alexandrites

Amphitriodites

Andenothyone

Auricularites

Bathysynactites

Binoculites

Calcancora

Calcancorella

Calcancoroidea

Calclamna

Calclamnella

Calclamnoidea

Calcligula

Calclyra

Clavallus

Collbatothuria

Conisia

Cosmatites

Costigerites

Croneisites

Crucivirga

Cucumarites

Curvatella

Dictyothurites

Elgerius

Eocaudina

Etheridgella

Exlinella

Fissobractites

Frizzellus

Helfriedella

Hemisphaeranthos

Holothuropsis

Huniella

Jordanocaudina

Kozurella

Kuehnites

Mercedescaudina

Micradites

Microantyx

Monilipsolus

Mortensenites

Oneirophanites

Ornaticannula

Pachopsites

Palaeocucumaria

Palaeoypsilus

Palelpidia

Paleochiridota

Paracucumarites

Parvioctoidus

Parvispina

Pedatopriscus

Petropegia

Porachistrum

Praecaudina

Praeeuphronides

Priscoligula

Priscolongatus

Priscopedatoides

Priscopedatus

Priscularites

Proholothuria

Protheelia

Protocaudina

Pseudoexlinella

Pseudostaurocumites

Punctatites

Ramusites

Rhabdotites

Rigaudites

Rota

Schlumbergerites

Sclerothupites

Semperites

Solopedatus

Spandelites

Spinopriscopedatus

Staurocumites

Stichopitella

Stichopites

Strobilothyone

Stueria

Synaptites

Tetravirga

Thallatocanthus

Theelia

Triradites

Uncinulina

Uncinuloides

Uniramosa

See also

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References

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  • Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (HOLOTHUROIDEA)". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2009-07-13.