Barycrinus rhombiferus

Cladida, Family Barycrinidae

Geological Time: Lower Mississippian Osagean Stage (345 m.y.a)

Size (25.4 mm = 1 inch): Crinoid crown: 20 mm long by 18 mm wide stem: 28 mm on a 40 by 60 mm matrix

Fossil Site: Crawfordsville, Indiana Crinoids

Code: CK021

Price: $70.00

Description: Well-preserved example of an unusual Inadunate Cladid crinoid, this basket-like example is Barycrinus rhombiferus (Family Barycrinidae). B. rhombiferus is very highly morphologically variable, and is thought to be the ancestral member of the genus. This is a quite 3-D example of this highly variable species. An interesting point about these crinoids is the fact that they had different rooting habits as they matured. The juvenile examples were encrusting, while the more mature ones developed a rooted holdfast from the cirri seen in many crinoids, showing that they preferred a more unconsolidated substrate. This is a most affordable example of this type of crionid.