2 Two Brittle Star Ophiura Sp Starfish Fossil Ordovician Age Morocco COA & Stand

Location: Kataoua Formation, Blekus, Morocco

Weight: 10.9 Ounces 

Dimension: 4.4 Inches Long, 4.3 Inches Wide, 0.7 Inches Thick (Plate)

Starfish One Dimensions: 3.9 Inches Long, 3.5 Inches Wide 

Starfish Two Dimensions: 2.2 Inches Long, 1.8 Inches Wide 

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. 

Comes with a Free Stand.

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Brittlestar Ophiura Sp

This remarkable limestone slab originates from Middle-Upper Ordovician rocks, approximately 450 million years old, located in the Anti-Atlas region of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. It represents a fragment of an ancient seafloor, later elevated and amalgamated into mountain formations some 80 million years ago, well after the seafloor had transformed into substantial rock layers.

The fossils preserved in this slab include early echinoderms (spiny-skinned marine invertebrate animals) known as echinoids and ophiuroids (brittle stars). The brittle stars are recognizable, with their five prehensile arms and the compact central body. They look very similar to living species of brittle stars, most of which live in reefs, and shallows near shore and deeper water environments, and feed on small organisms suspended in the water.

Eocrinoids are more unusual, with long, thin, tapering stems and clusters of arm-like appendages at the opposite end. These animals are probably the Eocrinoid Ascocystites, a suspension feeder that would have extracted food directly from the water column, filtering out microorganisms with the help of those appendages.

Despite the name, eocrinoids were unrelated to crinoids (sea Lilies) and differ in several morphological features from ancient and modern crinoids. However, like many fossil crinoids, their elongated stem allowed for attachment to hard substrates and the possibility of raising themselves higher off the seafloor.

The fossil shows several larger individuals as well as much smaller ones, which could either be juveniles of the larger group or a different species entirely. The smaller creatures frequently appear close to the brittle stars, raising the possibility that the brittle stars may have been feeding on these smaller echinoids.

Please be aware of the nature of fossils:

Being buried under the ground for millions of years under tons of pressure tends to be rough. No fossil comes out of the ground whole and perfect. Most fossils have undergone some restoration, while others are altered by man simply to enhance their presentation in different ways. The workers in Morocco do a very professional job of unearthing and preserving these natural treasures. These are part of the natural beauty of the fossil and are not considered defects.