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 57 mm (2.25 inches) across and consists of a small complete head of a crinoid with a crown of arms and pinnules preserved flowing over one another on top of multiple stem sections. It has an extremely high level of detail down to the smallest parts and is preserved in 3D, which is unusual for these fossils that are more often compressed flat. This is a very fine example of this fossil type. Crinoid heads of this quality are rare. It is preserved in calcite and has a thin layer of dark iron pyrite on the surface.
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.