Location: Kataoua Formation, Blekus, Morocco

Weight: 3 Pounds 2.3 Ounces 

Starfish Dimensions: 88MM 

Dimension: 7.9 Inches Long, 7.1 Inches Wide, 1 Inch Thick (Plate)

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. 

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Brittlestar Petraster

This intriguing limestone slab was extracted from Middle-Upper Ordovician (about 450 million years old) rocks in the Anti-Atlas part of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. This slab was once part of an ancient seafloor that was uplifted and incorporated into mountains about 80 million years ago, long after the seafloor turned into thick layers of rock.

Contained within this slab are fossils of early echinoderms, including the spiny-skinned echinoids and agile ophiuroids, or brittle stars. The brittle stars stand out with their five gripping arms and tight, central body. Their form boldly mirrors that of modern brittle stars, thriving in reefs, coastal shallows, and deep waters, hunting small suspended organisms with striking efficiency.

Eocrinoids are quite distinctive, characterized by their long, slender, tapering stems and clusters of arm-like structures at one end. These creatures are likely Eocrinoid Ascocystites, which feed by filtering microorganisms directly from the water using their appendages. Although their name might suggest a link to crinoids (sea lilies), eocrinoids are actually different in several physical aspects from both ancient and modern crinoids. However, like many fossil crinoids, their long stems helped them attach to hard surfaces and raise themselves above the seafloor.

There appear to be several larger individuals along with several much smaller ones. Those smaller animals may be juveniles of the larger form or a different species. Do you notice how the smaller individuals often seem to be in close contact with the brittle stars? We are often led to wonder whether the brittle stars were feeding on the smaller echinoids.

Please be aware of the nature of fossils:

Being buried underground for millions of years under tons of pressure can be tough. No fossil emerges from the ground perfectly intact. Most fossils have been restored in some way, while others are altered by humans to improve their appearance. The workers in Morocco do a very professional job of uncovering and preserving these natural treasures. These imperfections are part of the natural beauty of the fossils and are not considered flaws.