FOSSILS SPECIMEN: CRINOIDS, CYSTOIDS, AND BLASTOIDS

Fossils are defined as any evidence of prehistoric life. There are two types of fossils: Body Fossils include remains of skeletal bones, shell, carapace, test and teeth. Trace Fossils are clues the organism existed such as foot prints, tracks, burrows and coprolites (fossil dung).

Domain: Eukaria – Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Echinodermata “spiny skin” – Subphylum: Crinozoa – Class: Crinoidea

(crinoids)

Ordovician to Holocene

Complete Crinoid in Matrix

Crinoid Crown (Calyx and Arms) in Matrix

Crinoid Column in Matrix

Paleozoic

North America

Crinoid Column Floricyclus sp.

Pennsylvanian

(Upper Carboniferous)

Finis Shale, Graham Formation, Jacksboro, Jack County, Texas

Large Crinoid Column in Matrix

Carboniferous

North America

Crinoid Holdfast

Paleozoic

North America

Domain: Eukaria – Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Echinodermata “spiny skin” – Subphylum: Crinozoa – Class: Cystoidea

(cystoidea)

Ordovician to Devonian

Cystoid Holocystites scutellatus

Silurian Niagaran

Osgood Shale, Napoleon, Indiana

Domain: Eukaria – Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Echinodermata “spiny skin” – Subphylum: Blastozoa – Class: Blastoidea

(blastoids)

Ordovician to Permian

Blastoids in Limestone Matrix

Paleozoic

North America