echinate

Echinate is an adjective used in biology to describe surfaces or structures bearing spine-like projections. The term derives from Latin echinatus, from Greek echinos meaning sea urchin, and is related to the use of echin- in words such as echinoid.

In botany and palynology, echinate describes pollen grains or spores that have a spiny ornamentation on the exine, produced by spine-like projections called echinae. This surface texture can be important for pollen identification and classification, and may influence how pollen interacts with its environment, including adhesion and dispersal.

In zoology and paleontology, echinate is applied to shells, scales, or skeletal elements that display spines or spinelets on their surface. The term is a descriptive character used to convey a spiny, rough texture rather than to designate a taxonomic group.

Notes and related terms: echinate is distinct from smooth surfaces and from other textured forms such as tuberculate (with rounded nodules) or spinose (bearing spines more generally). It is used across several disciplines to communicate a common morphological description without implying evolutionary relationships.

See also: echinate pollen, echinoid, spinose, tuberculate.