Sculpted Stone

This is one of the most impressive crinoid plates we have ever seen. It is a multiple slab of HUGE crinoids from Crawfordsville, Indiana. There are NINE crinoids on this plate - of EIGHT different types! The real prize on this plate is the largest crinoid, Platycrinites saffordi. This camerate crinoid has a cup composed of large, ornamented plates and heavily pinnulated, biserial arms - this 3-dimensional specimen exhibits all of these features beautifully. The plate structure of the crinoid is clearly defined, and the long arms, with their many pinnules, are beautifully displayed. But the striking feature of this crinoid is the unique, ''corkscrew'' stem (indicative of the genus) still tightly attached to the base of the cup! This LONG, twisted stem is complete down to the roots, with MANY rootlest still intact. But that's not all - there is a large gastropod, Platyceras, attached to the cup. This gastropod fed off the excrement from the crinoid, and in doing so, kept the environment clean so that the crinoid could keep living. This is a rare example of a true symbiotic relationship in the fossil record. There are also two Agaricocrinus on the plate, a huge Actinocrinites (also with gastropod attached), a beautiful Cyathocrinites, a detailed Macrocrinus, a rare Eretmocrinus, and a strange, unidentified crinoid. All of the sea lilies are extremely 3-dimensional and are totally natural to the plate - none of the specimens have been composited or ''added on''. The echinoderms are wonderfully showcased on the huge, natural display plate of siltstone. This is easily one of the best crinoid fossils we have ever offered. It is a textbook example of a crinoid/gastropod association with long, corkscrew stem complete to the roots, with many other fabulous crinoids wonderfully represented.

A Certificate of Authenticity from EXTINCTIONS is included with this specimen.