fossil

Fossilized Crinoid Stem

Crinoidea

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 3-4 on Mohs scale due to calcification, yellowish-brown color, vitreous to dull luster, distinct grid-like or circular columnal segments.

Identified November 15, 2026More fossil →

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Physical properties

Hardness 3-4 on Mohs scale due to calcification, yellowish-brown color, vitreous to dull luster, distinct grid-like or circular columnal segments.

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization where organic marine limestone structures are replaced by minerals over hundreds of millions of years.

Uses & applications

Valued by fossil collectors, used for educational displays, and sometimes polished for decorative jewelry.

Geological facts

Crinoids are marine animals commonly known as sea lilies, and their segmented stems often break apart into distinctive disk-like fossils called Indian beads.

Field identification & locations

Identify by the prominent geometric grid or stacked coin pattern on weathered limestone surfaces found globally in ancient marine deposits.

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Fossilized bivalve shell; exact species cannot be identified from the image

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Crinoid Stem Fossil in Matrix

Phylum Echinodermata, Class Crinoidea

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Fossiliferous limestone (likely a crinoidal or shell-fragment limestone)

Bioclastic limestone, composed chiefly of calcite (CaCO₃)

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Porous limestone pebble

Calcite-rich limestone (primarily CaCO₃); exact identification is uncertain from the image

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