Echinoderms possess a rigid endoskeleton composed of calcite and small amounts of occluded organic matrix proteins. The test (i.e., the shell-like structure of adults), spines, pedicellariae, tube feet, and teeth of adults, as well as delicate endoskeletal spicules found in larvae of some classes, are the main skeletal structures. They have been intensively studied for insight into the mechanis...