The family Spatangidae is represented in New Zealand waters by two genera, comprising five species, of which three are here recorded for the first time from New Zealand. Genera represented are Spatangus (with three species, two of which are here described as new) and Paramaretia (two species, of which one was previously known only from east Australia). Except for one species (Spatangus multispinus) all New Zealand Spatangidae have affinities with Indo-West-Pacific forms, or are identical with Indo-West-Pacific species, the closest relationship being with east Australia, which shares the two species of Paramaretia. The apparent absence of Spatangus from Australia is perhaps due to incomplete collecting in Australian waters, for the evidence now seems to imply its presence there. A species of Spatangus from the Philippines, closely related to a New Zealand species, but hitherto unnamed, is here named. A synoptic key to the known extant species of Spatangus is given.