Crinoid Plaque

"Scyphocrinus elaganus" Crinoid Plaque - Crinoids are a form of ancient sea lily or feather star. They were amazing animals. They had a long stem by which they would anchor themselves to a rock or the bottom of the sea floor. They swayed with the currents and used their various tentacles to sieve through the water for plankton and nutrients. The head of the Crinoid is called a Calyx and it contained the mouth and the anus. This Crinoid specimen was found in the Sahara desert of Morocco and it dates back to the Devonian Period (416 - 359 Million years ago). It is approximately 12" tall and 11" wide at the widest point.