fossil
Crinoid Stem Segment Fossil
Crinoidea (columnal ossicle)
Hardness: 3 (calcite); Color: Gray to tan; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Structure: Cylindrical or disk-shaped with a central hole (lumen) and radial symmetry; Composition: Calcium carbonate (calcite).
- Hardness
- 3 (calcite)
- Color
- Gray to tan
- Luster
- Dull/Earthy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3 (calcite); Color: Gray to tan; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Structure: Cylindrical or disk-shaped with a central hole (lumen) and radial symmetry; Composition: Calcium carbonate (calcite).
Formation & geological history
Formed through permineralization of the skeletal segments of marine echinoderms. These organisms lived in shallow seas, primarily during the Paleozoic era (approx. 250-500 million years ago).
Uses & applications
Educational specimens, fossil collecting, and occasionally used in folk jewelry (traditionally known as 'St. Cuthbert's beads').
Geological facts
Crinoids are often called 'sea lilies' because they look like flowers, but they are actually animals related to starfish and sea urchins. Their stems are made of hundreds of individual stacked disks called columnals.
Field identification & locations
Commonly found in limestone beds, stream beds where limestone has eroded, and gravel pits. Identified by the distinct 'stacked washers' appearance and perfectly circular or star-shaped cross-sections.
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