Seastar Fossil from California with Three Species

This is an intersting starfish fossil assemblage from the famous Cozy Dell Formation, not too far inland in Ventura County California. The plate contains a complete specimen of Astropecten matilijaensi that is a rare occurence in the formationa, a partial Henricia venturana, and half of a rare, undescribed starfish, at the top of the plate.

Generally, starfish are relatively uncommon in the fossil record owing to the fragility of the creature’s body. Starfish are already difficult to find in the Cozy Dell Formation, and specimens with this state of detailed preservation are hard to come by.