A stunning example of a crinoid fossil of the species Pentacrinites fossilis from the world-famous Jurassic Coast beach of Charmouth, Dorset UK.
The fossil measures 40 mm (1.6 inches) across and consists of the head of a crinoid with a crown of arms and pinnules on top of multiple stem sections that are visible on the back of the piece. It has an extremely high level of detail down to the smallest parts and is preserved in calcite. This is a very fine example of this fossil type. Crinoid heads of this quality are very rare.
Around 196 million years old, this fossil would make a wonderful addition to any collection.
Crinoids are echinoderms closely related to starfish and sea urchins, and have been around for many hundreds of millions of years. They still live today in the deep seas around the world.