Crinoid - Fossilised animal - 38 cm - 27 cm

Beautiful, enormous specimen of a crinoid from Morocco. These marine animals were among the first living forms to inhabit the planet. Northwestern Sahara discovery.

Crinoids are a class of echinoderms, the sole class of the subphylum Crinozoa. The class comprises 648 living species and over 5,000 fossil species. They are commonly known as sea lilies or feather stars.

Having appeared in the Ordovician, crinoids were widespread throughout the Paleozoic.