Crinoid Fossils For Sale

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Crinoids, sometimes commonly referred to as sea lilies, are animals and not plants. They are echinoderms related to starfish, sea urchins, and brittle stars. Crinoids are marine filter feeders that have a collection of branching arms on top of a stem. While most spend their lives fixed to the bottom of the ocean, some are free swimming or capable of crawling. Their calcium carbonate skeletons make great detailed fossils.

1013 Items ($3 to $1,995)

Fossil Crinoids and Horn Coral - Crawfordsville, Indiana #296788

10" Fossil Crinoids and Horn Coral - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$1,995

Plate of Crinoid, Starfish & Bryozoa Fossils - Illinois? #240260

22.5" Plate of Crinoid, Starfish & Bryozoa Fossils - Illinois?

$1,850

Two Fossil Crinoids with Coral - Indiana #273742

8.7" Two Fossil Crinoids with Coral - Indiana

$1,395

Ordovician Fossil Crinoid Plate - Marzane, Morocco #290468

31" Ordovician Fossil Crinoid Plate - Marzane, Morocco

$1,295

Plate Of Jurassic Crinoid (Ailsacrinus) Fossils - England #243519

15.7" Plate Of Jurassic Crinoid (Ailsacrinus) Fossils - England

$1,295

Ordovician Fossil Crinoid Plate - Marzane, Morocco #290843

33.8" Ordovician Fossil Crinoid Plate - Marzane, Morocco

$1,250

Colorful Fossil Crinoid Stems In Marble Sphere #311522

6.1" Colorful Fossil Crinoid Stems In Marble Sphere

$1,150

Silurian Fossil Crinoid (Scyphocrinites) Plate - Morocco #148557

37" Silurian Fossil Crinoid (Scyphocrinites) Plate - Morocco

$795

Fossil Crinoid Plate (Four Species) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #243934

7.9" Fossil Crinoid Plate (Four Species) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$795

Two Fossil Crinoids (Scytalocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$695

Superb Fossil Crinoid (Agaricocrinus) & Starfish - Indiana #296786

Superb 3.6" Fossil Crinoid (Agaricocrinus) & Starfish - Indiana

$695

Plate With Two Fossil Crinoids (Encrinus) - Germany #240215

14" Plate With Two Fossil Crinoids (Encrinus) - Germany

$695

Silurian Fossil Crinoid (Scyphocrinites) Plate - Morocco #255716

22.3" Silurian Fossil Crinoid (Scyphocrinites) Plate - Morocco

$695

Fossil Crinoid (Decadocrinus) & Starfish Plate - Indiana #310206

2.2" Fossil Crinoid (Decadocrinus) & Starfish Plate - Indiana

$565

Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) with Starfish - Indiana #310214

4.4" Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) with Starfish - Indiana

$525

Fossil Crinoid (Cyathocrinites) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310208

3.55" Fossil Crinoid (Cyathocrinites) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$395

Fossil Crinoid (Cyathocrinites) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310209

3.55" Fossil Crinoid (Cyathocrinites) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$395

Floating Crinoid (Comaturella) Fossil - Solnhofen Limestone #165828

4" Floating Crinoid (Comaturella) Fossil - Solnhofen Limestone

$395

Fossil Crinoid (Macrocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310213

4.2" Fossil Crinoid (Macrocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$375

Fossil Crinoid (Agaricocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310198

2.1" Fossil Crinoid (Agaricocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$365

Fossil Crinoid (Scytalocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310212

5.4" Fossil Crinoid (Scytalocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$345

Fossil Crinoid (Pellecrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310205

3.7" Fossil Crinoid (Pellecrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$295

Fossil Crinoid (Cyathocrinites) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310203

2.5" Fossil Crinoid (Cyathocrinites) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$295

Ordovician Fossil Crinoid Plate - Marzane, Morocco #287734

15.5" Ordovician Fossil Crinoid Plate - Marzane, Morocco

$295

Fossil Crinoid (Scytalocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310195

3" Fossil Crinoid (Scytalocrinus) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$275

Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) - Crawfordsville, Indiana #310202

3" Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) - Crawfordsville, Indiana

$255

Fossil Crinoid (Nipterocrinus) - Monroe County, Indiana #231984

3.1" Fossil Crinoid (Nipterocrinus) - Monroe County, Indiana

$245

Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) - Monroe County, Indiana #231981

5.5" Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) - Monroe County, Indiana

$245

Colorful Fossil Crinoid Stems In Marble Sphere #311571

3.7" Colorful Fossil Crinoid Stems In Marble Sphere

$195

Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) - Monroe County, Indiana #231980

4.8" Fossil Crinoid Plate (Two Species) - Monroe County, Indiana

$195

What Is A Crinoid?

Crinoids are echinoderms of the class Crinoidea. Though they are often called Sea Lilies for their flower-like appearance, they are in fact animals. Their anatomy consists of a stem and calyx, a cup-like structure containing the internal organs. Branching arms called brachials extend from the calyx to filter food from the water column. Most live fixed to the bottom but a number of species are able to crawl or swim. There are 800 genera of crinoids containing 6000 species, about 700 of which are still living.

More Information: FossilCrinoids.com

When Did Crinoids Evolve?

The earliest true crinoids appear in the lower Ordovician, about 488 million years ago. They survived the Silurian and Permian Extinction events. Their peak diversity occurred between these two events during the Mississippian, 359-330 million years ago.

When Did Crinoids Die Out?

Crinoids narrowly survived the Permian Extinction and they have never reached the levels of diversity they experienced during the Mississippian but crinoids still inhabit the world oceans today. There are about 700 species living today mostly in shallow water, but about 80 live in deep water below the reach of sunlight.

What Do Crinoids Look Like?

Crinoids look like flowers growing on the seafloor. Despite the appearance, they are not plants but animals. Their bodies consist of a holdfast, a stem, calyx (body), and brachials. The holdfast hold the organism in place on the ocean floor, the stem is a stack of calcium carbonate rings on top of each other, and the calyx holds the animal's organs in a shape a bit like a cup. Extending out of the calyx, the brachials are arms covered with fibers called pinnules that filter food from the water. Like most echinoderms, their bodies are arranged in a pentameral pattern.

What Do Crinoid Fossils Look Like?

Fossil crinoids are rarely found in their entirety. Most often the calyx and the stem are all that is preserved. Usually it is the calyx with bare brachials or just the calyx itself. The pinnules on the brachials are so small and fine that they generally do not survive fossilization. Because the stem is made up of a stack of rings, it tends to fall apart after the organism dies. If they are preserved in the fine limestone like that of the central United States, very detailed preservation occurs.

Were Crinoids Able To Move?

Most Crinoids do not move. They are anchored to a rock or other part of the ocean bottom. A few species are capable of moving from place to place by crawling across the seafloor or by swimming. Unlike the kind that are anchored to the bottom, the crawling and swimming types do not have the holdfast to anchor themselves to the bottom. Swimming species often don’t have the stem or the holdfast. Both the swimming and crawling species move by waving their brachials (arms).

Where Are Crinoid Fossils Found?

Crinoid fossils can be found in rocks around the world aged from the Ordovician to the present, though they are most prevalent in Mississippian-aged rocks. Some of the best crinoid fossils in the world come from the Midwestern United States. The most famous crinoid fossil locality, due to both abundance and incredible preservation, is Crawfordsville, Indiana.

CRINOID FOSSILS FOR SALE

What Is A Crinoid?

When Did Crinoids Evolve?

When Did Crinoids Die Out?

What Do Crinoids Look Like?

What Do Crinoid Fossils Look Like?

Were Crinoids Able To Move?

Where Are Crinoid Fossils Found?