Echidna 
na. Forstcr,l"ft. [Not in use.] 2. Inhcr/M-t., 
a, genus of reptiles: used by Wagler and others 
for the geiius of v i pers ( I 'ipcridw) called Ilitis by 
Gray and Cope. Merrem, 1820. [Not in use.} 
3. lu nuimmul. : (a) The typical genus of the 
family Kclmlnidii', containing the aculeated ant- 
eater or spiny ant-eater of Australia and Tas- 
mania, K. Inj.ttri.r or uculeatd, and another spe- 
cies, K. lawcxi of New Guinea, together with a 
fossil One, //'. <///. Tlu-y have 6 toes on each foot; 
the snout Is straight and mi'iln ,it.-l> tk-Vfluj)ed. Tachy- 
ttlimmix is tho warn* 1 , ami is ttie name properly to be nsr.i 
for this uriiiis according to zoological rules of nomen- 
clature, the name l-.'i-ludttu having been preoccupied in 
another sense, though it lias most currency in this sense. 
See AcanthoyloMHti, ant-eater. Cuvier, 1797. (ft) [l t <j.] 
A species of the genus Echidna or family Eckid- 
nidie. The echidna resembles a large hedgehog, except- 
ing that the spines are much longer, and the snout Is long 
and slender, with a small aperture at the end for tho pro- 
trusion of the long, flexible, worm-like tongue. The ani- 
mal is nocturnal, fossorial, and Insectivorous, and catches 
insects with its long, sticky tongue, whence it is known as 
the porcupine ant-eater. The echidna is closely related to 
the ornithorhynchus, or duck-billed platypus, and, like it, 
is oviparous. 
4. A genus of echinoderms. T)e Blainnlle, 1830. 
Echidnas (e-kid'ne), n. pi. [NL., pi. of echidna, 
< Li. echidna, an adder, viper: see Echidna.} A 
group of bombycid moths. Hiibner, 1816. 
Echidnidse (e-kid'ni-de), . pi. [NL., < Echid- 
na + -ida:.] The family of monotrematous or- 
nithodelphian or prototherian mammals con- 
stituted by the genera Echidna (or Tachyglos- 
sus) and Zaglossus (or Acanthoglossus). They 
have, lu addition to the ordinal and superordinal charac- 
1831 
- r 
#nVs 
J+^Sfat 
^iHpr 
; .r^^y 5 
Spiny K.I 
echint,"- [ME.,< L. echinus: see echini/*.] A 
sea-hedgehog ; a sea-urchin. 
Men . . . knowen whiche strondes habounden moat of 
tendrc flsshes or of sharpe flsslies that hygten echynnyn. 
Chaucer, Boe thins, p. 82. 
Echinacea (ek-i-na'se-a), . [NL. (so called on 
account of the long spinescent bracts of the 
columnar receptacle), < Gr. cx'ivof, a hedgehog, 
+ -acea.] A genus of coarse composite plants 
of the prairies of North America, allied to Rud- 
beckia, but with long rose-colored rays and 
prickly-pointed chaff. There are two species, which 
are occasionally cultivated. Their thick black roots have 
a pungent taste, and are used in popular medicine under 
the name of black-satnpson. 
Echinarachnius (e-ki-na-rak'ni-us), . [NL. 
(Leske, 1778^, < Gr. ex'vof, a hedgehog, sea- 
urchin, + apaxvrt, a spider.] A genus of flat, ir- 
regular petalostichous sea-urchins, of the fam- 
ily Mellitidce (or Scutellidte), with no perfora- 
tions or lunules. E. parma, of the Pacific and Atlan- 
tic coasts of the United States, is known as the nand-dollar 
or cake-urchin. E. excentricwt is the common cake-urchin 
of the Pacific coast. See cut under cake-urchin. 
Echinaster (ek-i-nas'ter), n. [NL., < Gr. cx'vof, 
a hedgehog, sea-urchin, + oarS/p, a star.] A 
genus of starfishes, of the family Solastridce. 
tttofloisus bruijtti. 
ters which they share with Ornithorhynchida', convoluted 
cerebral hemispheres, perforated acetabulum, as in birds, 
the facial region of the skull produced into a long, slen- 
der rostrum with the nostrils at its end, styliform mandib- 
ular rami, vermiform protnulle tongue, no true teeth, 
feet not webbed, but furnished with long claws, and no 
tibial spur. The family is properly called Tachyglossidce. 
Echidnina (ek-id-nl'na). n. pi. FNL., < Echid- 
na + -iita 2 .] A group of mammals represented 
bv Echidna. Bonaparte, 1837. 
echidnine (e-kid'nin), n. [< L. echidna, viper, 
+ -ie 2 .] Serpent-poison; the secretion from 
the poison-glands of the viper and other ser- 
pents. Echidnine is a clear, viscid, neutral, yellowish 
fluid, containing albumin, mucus, fatty matter, a yellow 
coloring principle, and, among its salts, phosphates and 
chlorids. Associated with the albumin is a peculiar ni- 
trogenous body, to which the name echidnine is more 
particularly applied. The poison-bag of a viper seldom 
contains more than 2 grains of the poisonous liquid ; ; J, n 
of a grain is sufficient to kill a small bird. 
Echimyidae (ek-i-mi'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Echi- 
mys + -idte.] A family of hystricomorphic ro- 
dents, taking name from the genus Echimys. 
Also jEchinomgidas. 
Echimyinae (e-kl-mi-I'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Echi- 
mys + -inw.] A subfamily of hystricomorphic 
rodents, of the family Octodontidts, related to 
the porcupines ; the hedgehog-rats. It Is a large 
group of numerous genera, differing much in external 
form and aspect. The African ground-pig, Aulacodus 
sioinderianus, belongs to this subfamily, as do the West 
Indian genera Capromy* and Ptogiodon. (See cut under 
Auiacodus.) All the rest of the genera are South Amer- 
ican. Of these the coypou, Myopotamus coypug, is the 
best-known form, though not a typical one. (See cut 
under coupon.) The most representative genera are Echi- 
mys &nd Lonchereg, or the spiny rats proper, of which there 
are a dozen or more species, having prickles In the fur. 
Cercomys, Daftylmni/s, and Mesomys are other examples 
without spines. Carterodon is a fossil genus from the bone- 
caves of Brazil. Also written Echimyina, Echimyna, Echi- 
mitiliii'i. ami, more correctly, Echinomyintz. 
Echimyna (ek-i-mi'na), n. pi. [NL., < Echimys 
+ -()] Same usEchimitimi. 
Echimys (e-ki'mis), n. [NL., contr. of Echi- 
iinmys, lit. 'hedge-rat' (so called from the fact 
t hat the pelage is bristly or mixed with flattened 
spiiies), < Gr. ex'tvot, a hedgehog, + /n-c = E. 
mouse.] The typical genus of the subfamily 
Echimyiiur : the spiny rats proper. All the species 
are South American ; E. caycnnen*i* is the best-know?]. 
Oeo/roy, 1809. Also written Echymvs, aud properly Echi- 
nomy. 
EcHinaster tenfttt. 
E. tfjMtitu.1 Is an example. /.'. srntus Is a West Indian 
species, extending northward on the Atlantic coast of the 
United States, having the spines sheathed in membrane 
and occurring only at the angles of the calcareous plates 
of the upper surface. Cribella is a synonym. 
Echinasteridae (e-ki-nas-ter'i-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Echinaster + -id&.] A family of starfishes 
with two rows of tube-feet, a skeletal frame of 
lengthened ossicles, and spines on those of the 
dorsal surface: a synonym of Solastrida;. 
echinate (ek'i-nat), a. [< L. echinatus, set with 
prickles, prickly, < echinus, a hedgehog: see echi- 
nus.] Spiny, like a hedgehog; bristling with 
sharp points ; bristly. An echinate surface Is one thick- 
ly covered with sharp elevations like spines bristling, and 
is to be distinguished from a muricate surface, in which 
the elevations are scattered, lower, and not so acute. 
echinated (ek'i-na-ted), a. [< echinate + -ed%.] 
Rendered prickly or bristly. 
Fibre echinated by laterally projecting spicules. 
Lendenfeld. 
Echini (e-ki'iii), n. pi. [L., pi. of echinus, a 
hedgehog, sea-urchin : see echinus.] 1. InCu- 
vier s system of classification, the second fam- 
ily of pedicellate echinoderms, containing the 
sea-urchins : equivalent to several modern fam- 
ilies, or to the whole of the order or class Echi- 
iniiili'ii. 2. [?.<".] Plural of echinus. 
echinid (ek'i-nid), n. One of the Echinidtr. 
Echinida (e-kin'i-da), n. pi. Same as Echinidce. 
Echinidae (e-kin'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Echinus 
+ -id<r.] A family of regular desmostichous or 
endocyclic sea-urchins, of the order Endoci/t-lica 
and class Echinoidea, having a thin round shell 
echinococcus 
with broad ambulacra! spaces bearing tuber- 
cles and spines, the latter mostly short ami 
pyriform, aud oral branching; the typical sea- 
urchins or sea-eggs. The genera are numerous, 
such as Echiiiun, l^-liimitlirix, Toxoptieustex, etc. 
echinidan (e-kin'i-dan), . A sea-urchin ; one 
of the Echinidte. 
echiniform (e-kl'ni-f6nn), a. In entom., same 
moid. 
Echiniscus (ek-i-nis'kus), n. [NL., < Gr. i x i- 
vof, a hedgehog, + -UJKO(, dim. suffix.] A ge- 
nus of bear-animalcules or water-bears, of the 
family Macro bio tidte : a synonym is Emydium. 
E. bellermantii is an example. 
echinital (e-kin'i-tal), a. [< echinite + -til.] 
Pertaining to an echinite or fossil sea-urchin. 
echinite (e-ki'nit), M. [< Gr. ej-ivof, a hedge- 
hog, sea-urchin, + E. -ite 2 .] A fossil sea-urchin. 
Kchinltes are found in all fossillfcrous strata, 
but are most abundant and best preserved In 
the Chalk. The term is an indefinite one, 
these fossils being of various genera, as Go- 
niocidaris, Echinothuria, etc. Tin- Paleozoic 
echinites form an order I'altechiuuideti, repre- 
sented by such genera as Paltechinus, Loci- 
daris, etc. See cut under EchinothuriultK. 
Echinobothria (e-ki-no-both'ri-a), 11. 
lit. [NL. (Rudolph!),' pi. of Echino- 
bothrium.] A group named for the 
cestoid worms. See Echinobothrium. 
Echinobothrium (e-kl-no-both'ri- 
um), n. [NL., < Gr. cx~'vo>c, a hedge- 
hog, 4- /3o6piov, dim. of /3<4fyx>f, a pit, 
trench.] A genus of cestoid worms, 
or tapeworms, of the family Diphylli- 
dce, having on the head two fossettes 
with hooks. The separated proglottides 
continue to live and grow for some time in- 
dependently. E. minimum and K. typus are 
examples. Also Echineibothrium. 
Echinobrissidae (e-ki-no-bris'i-de), n. 
pi. [NL., < Echinobrissus + -idice.] 
A family of irregular sea-urchins, 
typified by the genus Echinobrissus. <*.- 
Echinobrissus (e-ki-no-bris'us), 11. '"^J,""*" 
[Nil., prop. "Echinobryssus, < Gr. f^.- 
vof, a hedgehog, sea-urchin, + ppioaof, a kind 
of sea-urchin.] The typical genus of the fam- 
ily Echinobrissidae. 
Echinocactns (e-ki-no-kak'tus), H. [NL., < Gr. 
t^ivoc, a hedgehog, 
f nanTos, cactus.] 
A genus of cactace- 
ous plants, globose 
or oval, and some- 
times gigantic, 
strongly ribbed, or 
with tubercles in 
vertical or spiral 
rows. They are armed 
with clusters of short 
spines, at the base of 
which, upon the younger 
parts of the plant, are 
borne the large and EcHinxotiia i 
showy flowers. Over 200 
species have been described, mostly Mexican, with a con* 
siderable number within the limits of the United States. 
Echinocardium (e-ki-no-kar'di-um), . [NL., 
< Gr. ix'vof, a hedgehog, + napiia = E. heart.] 
A genus of spatangoid 
sea-urchins, or heart-ur- 
chins, of the family Spa- 
tangidce. E. cordatum 
, occurs on both coasts 
of the Atlantic. Leske, 
1778. Also called Am- 
jiliidotus. 
echinochrome (e-ki'no- 
krom), n. [< Gr. ^ivpf, 
a hedgehog, sea-urchin, 
i, color.] Seethe 
Dr. C. A. MacMunn describes the spectroscopic or chemi- 
cal characters of the blood of various worms and mollusks. 
One of the most interesting pigments which he has de- 
tected is that which he calls echinochrome, . . . obtained 
from the perivisceral cavity of Strongylocentrotus lividna. 
Jour. Roy. Micros. Soc., 2d ser., VI. i. 48. 
echinococci, . Plural of echinococcus. 
Echinococcifer (e-ki-no-kok'si-fer), n. [NL.,< 
echinococcus + "L.fcrre = E. bear*.] A genus of 
tapeworms, in which, in the hydatid state, the 
ttenia-heads bud in special brood-capsules in 
such a way that their invagination is turned 
toward the lumen of the vesicle, as in the 
echinococcus of Tamia erhinococeus. Claus. 
echinococcus (e-ki-no-kok'us), n. ; pi. ecliinn- 
rocci (-si). [XL.. < Gr. ix'vof, a hedgehog, + 
(id/woe, a berry: see coccus.] Ttxnia echinococ- 
cus in its larval (scolex) stage, which forms 
