| Clypeaster Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Live Clypeaster reticulatus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Echinoidea |
| Order: | Clypeasteroida |
| Family: | Clypeasteridae |
| Genus: | Clypeaster Lamarck, 1801 |
Clypeaster, common name "cake urchins" or "sea biscuits", is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Clypeasteridae.
The genus name Clypeaster is derived from the Latin “clypeus” (meaning round shield) and “aster” (meaning star), with reference to the shape of these organisms.