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 36 mm (1.42 inches) across and consists of the base of the head of a crinoid with the stem, attachment cirri and calyx preserved. The calyx is very prominent on both sides of the piece. It has an extremely high level of detail down to the smallest parts and is preserved in 3D. This is a very fine example of this fossil type and is preserved in solid calcite. Crinoid heads of this quality are 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.