crinoid

[prettygoodword]

crinoid (KRAY-noid, KRIN-oid) - n., any of numerous feathery-armed sea stars (class Crinoidea).


About 600 living species, some sesile on stalks (sea lilies), some mobile (feather stars). Some have as few as five arms, but most have a large multiple of five. Once more numerous -- there are beds of Carboniferous limestone beds almost exclusively made of crinoid parts. The Greek root to the name is krinon, lily. Some colorful feather stars:


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.

Comments

[mount_oregano]

The first fossil I ever had was a bit of crinoid stem found in local limestone gravel. As an eight-year-old, having a fossil of my own discovery like the one in the city's museum (not as big and nice, but the same thing!) was intellectual fireworks.

[prettygoodword]

Neat! Mine was a partial trilobite.