2 Two Brittle Star Petraster Starfish Fossil Ordovician Age Blekus Morocco COA Stand
Location: Kataoua Formation, Blekus, Morocco
Weight: 1 Pound 1.5 Ounces
Starfish One Dimensions: 55MM
Starfish One Dimensions: 32MM
Dimension: 6.2 Inches Long, 1.5 Inches Wide, 0.6 Inches Thick (Plate)
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Comes with a Free Stand.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Brittlestar Petraster
This limestone slab comes from Middle to Upper Ordovician rocks, around 450 million years old, found in the Anti-Atlas region of Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Originally part of an ancient seafloor, it was uplifted into mountains about 80 million years ago after being compressed into rock layers. The slab contains fossils of early echinoderms, including echinoids and brittle stars, which have five flexible arms and a central body, resembling modern brittle star species that inhabit reefs and various marine environments. Also present are eocrinoids, likely Ascocystites, characterized by slender stems and arm-like structures used to filter microorganisms from the water.
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.
There appear to be several larger individuals along with several much smaller ones. Those smaller animals may be juveniles of the larger form or a different species. Do you notice how the smaller individuals often seem to be in close contact with the brittle stars? We are often led to wonder whether the brittle stars were feeding on the 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.
