[3] Mostly found in subtropical and tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and southwestern Atlantic Ocean, E. emarginata ranges from Belize to Argentina.

[5] Area inhibited by Encope emarginata is below the action of the normal wave regime, thus the fossils of this species is only truly disturbed during extreme coastal weather.

[1] There is ongoing research suggesting that two populations of E. emarginata may emerge as separate species as a result of a barrier created by upwelling, a process known as allopatric speciation.

E. emarginata has shown to have significant impacts on the concentrations of Chlorophyll-a within the sediment, as well as causing a greater variance in microphytobethic and meiofaunal populations due to the sand dollars' foraging behaviors.

The bioturbation of this echinoid is thought to create top-down effects, enhancing sediment heterogeneity and maintaining benthic biodiversity.