Crinoids are echinoderms that have been around at least since the Early Ordovician and are abundant in the ocean today. Modern crinoids are stalkless (comatulids) in shallow water and stalked in deep (several hundred meters+). Paleozoic crinoids were shallow-water and only rarely stalkless.
Complete specimens from holdfast to crown are rare but well-documented. Crinoid calices (sgl. calyx) are best described as “locally common.” That is to say, they’re rare in general, but where they are found, they are often abundant. This is because they are associated with mass mortalities – where storms bury an area quickly smothering everything. Crinoids with large bodies may be crushed.
I’ve been involved with three papers that named ten new crinoid species. Details and photos will be posted eventually.
The most common fossils from crinoids are the columns or individual rings (called “Indian beads”) called columnals. Body plates are common, but usually unidentifiable. Dr. Tom Kammer researched crinoid body plates in the Button Mold Knob Member of the New Providence Shale and was able to match most of them to known species, plus a new species or two, as well.
Preservation Key: C = Calcified, Ph = Phosphatic, P = Pyritized, S = Silicified, 1= w/o, matrix, 2 = w/ matrix
# Not available for sale, just for identification
CRINOIDS
Abrotocrinus debrae Ausich, Goldstein & Yates# – named for my wife in a paper published in 2000. Second known specimen – destined for the Smithsonian to join the first. Unidentifiable before being prepped, this specimen survived a fire at the prep lab and smelled like smoke when it was returned to me! Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., Kentucky.
Acrocrinus shumardi Yandell# – goblet-shaped body, Indian Springs Shale, Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN – C,2
Actinocrinites jugosus (Hall)# – is a very large crinoid with ornate plates. Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., Kentucky. Prepped by Chris Wright.
Agassizocrinus conicus (Shumard) – found as a basal cone of a stalkless crinoid. Upper Mississippian, Grayson Co., KY – C,1,2
Alisocrinus carleyi (Hall) = Glyptocrinus or Dimerocrinus? – Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, Clark Co., Indiana
Ancyrocrinus bulbosus (Hall) – Beechwood Limestone, Givetian, Middle Devonian, Clark Co., IN – S,1
Aorocrinus cassedayi (Lyon)# – Beechwood Limestone, Givetian, Middle Devonian, Clark Co., IN – S,1
Bicidiocrinus wetherbyi (Wachsmuth & Springer) – spines abundant in the Glen Dean Fm., Upper Mississippian, Grayson Co., KY – C,1
Barycrinus cornutus (Owen & Shumard) – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Barycrinus sculptilis Hall – have ornamented plates, New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Batocrinus crassitestus Rowley# – is found in the Salem Limestone and the Somerset Shale Mbr., Middle Mississippian. This specimen is from Hardin Co., Kentucky. C,1
Botryocrinus polyxo (Hall) – crinoid cup, Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, Clark Co., Indiana, C,1,2
Callicrinus longispinus Weller# – a mold from the Laurel Dolostone, Bardstown, Nelson Co., Kentucky. Found by randomly cracking a small boulder.
Catillocrinus tennesseae Shumard# – has odd-shaped body plates, New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,P,1
Click here for Ausich, Kammer and Meyer’s 1997 paper on Disparid crinoids
Cosmetocrinus gracilis Kirk# – Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., Kentucky – C,2
Cyathocrinites astralus Kammer – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,P,1
Cyathocrinites iowensis (Owen & Shumard)# and Synbathocrinus swallovi Hall, Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., Kentucky
Cyathocrinites multibrachiatus (Lyon & Casseday) – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,P,1
Cymbiocrinus sp.# – Bangor Fm., Chesterian, Upper Mississippian, Colbert Co., Alabama – C,2
Column –geodized Middle Devonian IN S,1
Dichocrinus simplex Shumard, Middle Mississippian, IN,KY – C,1,2
Dizygocrinus montgomeryensis (Worthen)# – Muldraugh Formation, Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,1,2
Dizygocrinus sp. – Muldraugh Formation, Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,1,2
Dolatocrinus bellulus (Miller & Gurley)# – Beechwood Ls., Givetian, Middle Devonian, Clark Co., IN & Jefferson Co., KY – S,1
Dolatocrinus bulbaceous MIller & Gurley# – Beechwood Ls., Givetian, Middle Devonian, Clark Co., IN – S,1
Dolatocrinus grandis Miller & Gurley# – Beechwood Ls., Givetian, Middle Devonian, Jefferson Co., KY – S,2
Dolatocrinus stem / columnals – Beechwood Limestone, Givetian, Middle Devonian, IN,KY – C,S,1,2
Dolatocrinus vetustus – one of the most beautiful species, Beechwood Limestone, Givetian, Middle Devonian, Clark Co., IN – S,1,2
Ectenocrinus simplex (Hall) – Kope Fm., Upper Ordovician, KY – C,1,2
Eucalyptocrinites crassus (Hall) – is the most common crinoid in the Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, Clark Co., IN – C,1,2
Eucalyptocrinites elrodi (Miller) = E. tuberculatus (Miller & Dyer) – has ornamented body plates, Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, Clark Co., IN – C,1
Eucladocrinus (possibly E. millebrachiatus) stem (oval disks) – form is similar to Platycrinites, but their columnals aren’t as wide. Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,1
Eupachycrinus sp.# – Indian Springs Shale, Chesterian, Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., Indiana – C,1,2
Fifeocrinus popensis (Worthen)# – Beech Creek Fm., Chester, Upper Mississippian, Breckinridge Co., Kentucky – C,2
Forbesiocrinus sp.# – is a flexible crinoid that isn’t as common as Taxocrinus, from the Middle Mississippian, IN – C,2
Gaulocrinus trautscholdi (Wachsmuth & Springer) – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1 & P,1
Halysiocrinus tunicatus (Hall) – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1; See link to paper under Catillocrinus tennesseae for more information.
Holdfast – Eucalyptocrinites – radiate out in or on a substrate, Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, Clark Co., IN – C,2
Holdfast – Gilbertsocrinus# – look like coiled rope, from the Devonian and Mississippian, IN, KY – C,S,1,2
Holdfast – Lichenocrinus sp. – plated, belongs to Cincinnaticrinus, a genus that were generally small. Upper Ordovician, KY – C,2
Holdfasts, multi-cirri – Beech River Formation, Middle Silurian Decatur Co., Tennessee – C,1
Holdfasts, multi-cirri – had columns radiating out into the sediment to anchor the animal, Jeffersonville & Beechwood Limestones, Middle Devonian, Clark Co., IN – S,1
Holdfasts, multi-cirri – had columns radiating out into the sediment to anchor the animal, New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, Jefferson Co., KY – C,S,1,2
Holdfast, Podolithus – is a crinoid holdfast form genus described by Sardeson in 1908. Discoidal with a depressed center, it’s common to many genera over time and is often preserved attached to a substrate. In the Beechwood Limestone, they are often weathered loose.It is found in the Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian. IN, KY – C,S,1,2
Hypselocrinus sp.# – Indian Springs Shale, Chesterian, Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., Indiana – C,1,2
Hyrtanocrinus sp.# – Paoli Ls., basal Chesterian, Upper Mississippian, from the Talarocrinus patei beds near Sample, Breckinridge Co., KY – C1,2
Iocrinus sp.# – widespread in the Upper Ordovician of the Tri-state area, IN-KY-OH C,1,2
Lampterocrinus tennessensis (Roemer)# – camerate crinoid from the Beech River Fm., Middle Silurian, Decatur Co., Tennessee. C,1
Lecanocrinus pisiformis (Roemer) – is a small crinoid found in the glades of the Beech River Fm., Middle Silurian, Decatur Co., TN – C,1; Rarer than Pisocrinus.
Lecanocrinus pusillus Hall# – from the Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, it’s larger than the Beech River species but is still small. Clark Co., IN – C,1,2
Lecocrinus? springeri Kammer# – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Lyriocrinus melissa (Hall) – is more likely to be found with arms in the Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, than any other species. Clark Co., IN – C,1,2
Melocrinus obconicus Hall – Waldron Shale & Louisville Ls., Middle Silurian, IN – C,2
Metichthyocrinus tiaraeformis# – has a beautiful basal cup, New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, Jefferson Co., KY – C,1
Myelodactylis cf. M. ammonis Bather – Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, IN – C,2
Myelodactylus convolutus Hall – consisted of a knotted stem that used another crinoid stem as an anchor. Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, IN – C,2
Paradichocrinus ramus Ausich, Goldstein & Yates# – a second new species from our research published in 2000 on the crinoids from the Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., Kentucky. C,2
Paradichocrinus sp.# – from the Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., Kentucky. C,2
Pentaramicrinus sp.# – Upper Mississippian, Colbert Co., Alabama – C,1,2
Periecocrinus christyi (Hall) – Waldron Shale, Middle Silurian, Clark Co. Indiana, C,1,2
Phanocrinus alexandrii Strimple# – Upper Mississippian, IN, KY – C,1
Phanocrinus formosus (Worthen)# – Upper Mississippian, IN, KY – C,1
Phanocrinus parviramus Sutton & Winkler# – Indian Springs Shale Mbr., Big Clifty Fm., Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN – C,2
Phanocrinus sp. – Upper Mississippian, IN,KY – C,1,2
Phanocrinus wetherbyi # – Indian Springs Shale Mbr., Big Clifty Fm., Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN – C,2
Pisocrinus quinquelobus Bather – basal cups are typical, Beech River Fm., Middle Silurian, Decatur Co., TN – C,1,2
Platycrinites bonoensis (White) – cups are common in the Salem Limestone, Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,1,2
Platycrinites georgii # – Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,1,2
Platycrinites hemisphaericus (Meek & Worthen)# – possible body plates from the New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Platycrinites huntsvillae # – Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,1,2
Platycrinites penicillus # – columnals, Middle – Upper Mississippian, Hardin Co., Illinois – C,S,1,2
Platycrinites planus (Owen & Shumard)# – body plates – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Platycrinites sp. – oval columnals, New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1,2
Platycrinites saffordi (Hall)# – New Providence Shale, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Pterotocrinus acutus Wetherby – wing plates, Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN, Grayson Co., KY – C,1
Pterotocrinus acutus variant
Pterotocrinus acutus Wetherby# – whole body, Glen Dean Fm., Upper Missisippian, Grayson Co., Kentucky
Pterotocrinus bifurcatus variant of P. acutus
Pterotocrinus depressus Lyon & Casseday – wing plates are common, Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN, Grayson Co., KY – C,1,2
Pterotocrinus spatulatus – another acutus variant? Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN, Grayson Co., KY – C,1,2
Pterotocrinus vannus Sutton – wing plates are common, Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN, Grayson Co., KY – C,1,2
Scytalocrinus robustus (Hall) – Muldraugh Fm., Middle Mississippian, Hardin Co., KY – C,2
Springerocrinus sp.# – body plates, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,2
Strimplecrinus coxanus (Worthen)# – is a very small species with ornamented plates, Salem Ls., Middle Mississippian, IN, KY – C,1,2
Synbathocrinus sp. (probably swallovi) body plates – Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1
Synbathocrinus swallovi Hall – has simple straight arms and a small cup, Middle Mississippian, KY – C,1,2
Talarocrinus patei (Miller & Gurley) – Paoli Ls., basal Chesterian, Upper Mississippian, Breckinridge Co., KY – C,1,2
Talarocrinus simplex (Shumard)# – Salem Ls., Middle Mississippian, IN, KY – C,1,2
Taxocrinus colletti White – is the most common species of flexible crinoid in the Middle Mississippian Borden Delta sediments. IN, KY – C,1,2
Taxocrinus whitfieldi (Hall) – a common though usually fragmented species, widespread in the Upper Mississippian of eastern N. America. Crawford Co., IN – C,1,2
Tholocrinus spinosus Wood – one of several genera of spiny crinoids in the Upper Mississippian, IN, KY – C1,2
Zeacrinites wortheni Hall# – Indian Springs Shale Mbr., Big Clifty Fm., Upper Mississippian, Crawford Co., IN – C,2
Stems Mid-Upper Mississippian KY C,S, Fluorite replaced/encrusted