48MM Brittle Star Petraster Starfish Fossil Ordovician Age Blekus Morocco COA

Location: Kataoua Formation, Blekus, Morocco

Weight: 1 Pound 0.1 Ounces 

Starfish Dimensions: 48MM 

Dimension: 5.6 Inches Long, 3.3 Inches Wide, 1 Inch Thick (Plate)

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. 

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Brittlestar Petraster

This fascinating 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 was once a section of an ancient seafloor that was later uplifted and became part of the mountains around 80 million years ago, well after the seafloor had transformed into thick 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.

Though their name might mislead you, eocrinoids weren’t related to crinoids (sea lilies) and show clear differences from both ancient and modern crinoids. But like many fossil crinoids, their long stems let them grip onto tough surfaces and lift themselves off the seafloor. Among the fossils, you'll spot several large individuals alongside much smaller ones—these tiny creatures could be juveniles or a completely different species. Notice how the smaller ones often stick close to brittle stars? It raises the bold question: Were brittle stars hunting 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.