Crinoids
have graced the oceans for more than 500 million years. Among the
most attractive fossils, crinoids had a key role in the ecology of
marine communities through much of the fossil record, and their remains
are prominent rock forming constituents of many limestones. Crinoids
are part of a large group of marine invertebrate animals called echinoderms.
Other echinoderms include starfish, brittle stars, sand dollars, sea
urchins and sea cucumbers. Crinoids are unusual looking animals because
they resemble plants more than animals. Crinoids are more commonly
known as "Sea Lillies", a colloquial nomenclature which
relates to their flower-like appearance. Crinoids filter plankton
from sea water and evolved a plant-like morphology so that they could
remain attached to the sea floor. They were once thought to be extinct
until found at great depths in the seas off Norway. Comparitively
wide spread in the fossil record, excellent crinoid fossils are associated
with the Ordovician in Morocco, the Mississippian of the central U.S.
and Canada, the Jurassic - Triassic of Germany, the Permian of Australia
and Timor, and the Tertiary of Oregon.
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Ftn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Ftn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Ftn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Ftn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian, $650
Scyphocrinites
Elegans, Morocco, North Africa, Devonian +350 Million Years
Old, Morocco Crinoid Beds
Scyphocrinites
Elegans, Morocco, North Africa, Devonian +350 Million Years
Old, Morocco Crinoid Beds
Crinoid 3, Morocco, 38cm x 30cm, $3500
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Ftn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Fmn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Fmn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Ftn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Jimbacrinus bostocki, Cundlego Fmn Gascoyne Junction, Western
Australia, Late Artinskian Permian
Note: All Prices on the Crystal World
Web Site are in Australian dollars unless otherwise stated.
