title: Middle mississippian blastoid extinction event.
abstract: The Middle Mississippian blastoid (Phylum Echinodermata) extinction event (about 340 million years ago) was a rapid, habitat-specific extinction. Blastoids became rare or absent in shallow-water environments after the extinction, and this change was probably synchronous worldwide. Onshore-offshore habitat shifts have been recognized as an important historical trend among marine benthos. Unlike trends exhibited by other groups, blastoids appear to have repopulated shallow-water habitats after a period of diminished diversity and abundance.
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Ausich
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Waters