Benn collecting since the 70’s. Specialize in echinoids. Author of the book: Fossil Echinoids of Texas – A Monograph of Fossil Sea Urchins.
This book is a catalogue of all
the currently known fossil echinoids from Texas, which numbers 237
species.
In addition to providing the
information on previously described species, 1 new genus and 46 new species are
recognized from Texas.
The new genus is Craneipedina and the echinoids
recognized and named herein are Cibaster
texanus sp. nov., ‘Cidaris’ willi sp. nov., Coenholectypus borachoensis sp. nov., Coenholectypus latus sp. nov.,
Cottaldia magna sp. nov., Craneipedina
williamsonensis sp. nov., Crassiholaster
bexarensis sp. nov., Cyclaster
texanus sp. nov., Desoricidaris
tarrantensis sp. nov., Diplopodia
doliae sp. nov., Echinometra noblei sp.
nov., Echinothuria mccallae sp. nov.,
Gauthieria parva sp. nov., Globator simoni sp. nov., Glyphocyphus garviei sp. nov., Goniopygus goodlandensis sp. nov., Goniopygus quartus sp. nov., Holanthus texanus sp. nov., Leptosalenia hancockensis sp. nov., Leptosalenia hintei sp. nov., Leptosalenia inflata sp. nov., Leptosalenia maniba sp. nov., Leptosalenia smithi sp. nov., Mellita costabilei sp. nov.,
Palhemiaster krohi sp. nov., Pedinopsis
molineuxae sp. nov., Plegiocidaris
pawpawensis sp. nov., Plegiocidaris
wenoensis sp. nov., Protocardiaster
texanus sp. nov., Prionocidaris
anacachoensis sp. nov., Prionocidaris
pawpawensis sp. nov., Protocardiaster
pocranei sp. nov, Pseudholaster
texanus sp. nov., Pseudocidaris
ridiculum sp. nov., Pygaster
borachoensis sp. nov., Pygorhynchus
stephensoni sp. nov., Salenia
elliotti sp. nov., Salenia supera sp.
nov., Temnocidaris (Hirudocidaris)
wenoensis sp. nov., Temnocidaris (Stereocidaris)
borachoensis sp. nov., Temnocidaris
(Stereocidaris) texanus sp. nov., Tetragramma
adami sp. nov., Tetragramma cranei
sp. nov., Tetragramma dentonensis sp.
nov., Tetragramma donaldtrumpi sp.
nov., Tetragramma glenrosensis sp. nov., and Tetragramma hammerschmidti sp. nov.
This work aspires to be as
thorough and detailed as possible with photos included for all species. All were photographed in high resolution
color, with regular echinoids from the adoral, aboral, lateral ambulacral, and
lateral interambulacral views. Irregular
echinoids were photographed in adoral, aboral, lateral, anterior, and posterior
views. In most cases, a single specimen
is used to illustrate each species. One
hundred six of the specimens photographed were type specimens from the
University of Texas Non-vertebrate Paleontology Lab, Louisiana State University
Museum of Natural Science and the National Museum of Natural History
(Smithsonian). Where types were unavailable,
representative specimens were used from both institutions and private
collections. Two specimens were contributed
by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.
Four of the representative specimens are from the Akers Collection which
is currently owned by Chris Garvie. Many
specimens are from the Frank Crane Collection which is currently owned by his
son Dr. Stephen Crane. The remaining
species are from private collections of William R. Thompson, Jr., Ed Elliott,
Chris Garvie, Ron Root, Terry Stephenson, John Hinte, Mike K. Smith, Danny
Harlow, James Costabile, Dave Hayward, Paul Hammerschmidt, Linda Farish, Frank
Holterhoff, and Raul & Carlos González of the website erizosfosiles.jimdo.com. Each species is described in
detail. If the original description was
available, that text was included and credited.
All the others and the new species’ descriptions are the author’s.
