9.4" Fossil Crinoid (Platycrinites) w/ Stem- Crawfordsville, Indiana

Fossil Crinoid (Platycrinites) w/ Stem- Crawfordsville, Indiana #242693

This is a stunning Platycrinites hemisphericus crinoid from the famous crinoid beds near Crawfordsville, Indiana. This crinoid was prepared using skillful air-abrasion techniques under a stereo microscope. The stem is natural and the crinoid has a gastropod (Platyceras) attached to the calyx.

It stands up nicely on its own, however it is accompanied by an acrylic display stand to assist with presentation. There are repaired cracks through the rock/fossil.

Crinoids from the Ramp Creek Limestone were likely buried in sediment from nearby deltas during storms. The resulting siltstone deposits are soft enough that fossils can be extracted in exquisite, three-dimensional relief.

Crinoids, sometimes commonly referred to as sea lilies, are animals, not plants. They are echinoderms related to starfish, sea urchins, and brittle stars. Many crinoid traits are like other members of their phylum. Such traits include tube feet, radial symmetry, a water vascular system, and appendages in multiples of five (pentameral). They first appeared in the Ordovician (488 million years ago) and some species are still alive today.

About Crinoids