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 100 mm (4 inches) across, which is a good size for a crinoid from this location. The fossil consists of the arms and pinnules from the head of a crinoid preserved flowing over one another. The remains are from a very large crinoid, making the piece very chunky. It has an extremely high level of detail down to the smallest parts. It has a natural layer of pyrite on the surface. This is a very fine example of this fossil type.
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.