Pedicellarie ze środkowojurajskich iłów rudonośnych i ich znaczenie w strategii życiowej jeżowców

Numerous, well-preserved globiferous and ophiocephalous pedicellariae of echinoids have been found in samples from several brickyards of Central Poland: Gnaszyn and Kawodrza (Częstochowa), Blanowice (Zawiercie), Wrzosowa. This is the first study of the uppermost Bajocian and Bathonian pedicellariae from the Ore Bearing Częstochowa Clay Formation. Four new morphotypes are described. Effectiveness of the defensive echinoid strategy is discussed; the structures observed indicate the presence of poison in some but not all spines and pedicellariae of both living and fossil species. All main morphological types of pedicellariae are compared. Morphotype I of globiferous pedicellariae and morphotype III of ophiocephalous pedicellariae are similar to those from the recent family Parechinidae. Jurassic echinoid Pelanechinus has ophiocephalous pedicellariae reminding morphotype II, as described from the Polish Bathonian.