What is a crinoid columnal?

A columnal is one of the individual calcite disc segments that make up the stalk of a crinoid. Each disc has a central hole through which the animal's water vascular system passed. In the fossil record, these discs separate easily and are among the most abundant Paleozoic marine fossils.

Are crinoids still alive today?

Yes. Crinoids are living fossils - their lineage dates back 541 million years and living feather stars and sea lilies still inhabit the world's oceans today. They are among the oldest continuously surviving animal lineages on Earth.

How do crinoid columnals differ from the Crinoid Fossil Cast in the collection?

The Crinoid Fossil Cast is a compound stone reproduction of a complete crinoid in matrix. These crinoid columnal segments are authentic fossilized disc sections of a real crinoid stalk - actual organic fossil material, not a cast.

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Crinoid Feather Star Columnal Segments - Authentic 541-Million-Year Echinoderm Fossil

Name: Crinoid Feather Star Columnal Segments - Authentic 541-Million-Year Echinoderm Fossil
SKU: 80-112-0087-201-38
Price: 19.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Crinoid Feather Star Columnal Segments - Authentic 541-Million-Year Echinoderm Fossil

SKU:80-112-0087-201-38

$19.00 USD

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Crinoids - commonly called feather stars or sea lilies - are members of the echinoderm phylum, the ancient family of ocean animals that also includes sea urchins, starfish, and sea cucumbers. Echinoderms date back as far as the Cambrian Period, approximately 541 million years ago, making them among the oldest complex animal groups on Earth. This authentic Crinoid columnal fossil specimen presents real fossilized crinoid columnal segments - the stacked disc-shaped sections that formed the stalk anchoring the living animal to the ocean floor.

541 Million Years of Ocean Life - Still Alive Today

The crinoid stalk is composed of hundreds of individual calcite disc segments called columnals, each perforated by a central canal through which the water vascular system of the animal passed. In the fossil record, these columnals separate easily and are among the most abundant Paleozoic marine fossils - beautiful disc-shaped pieces that have been collected and admired for centuries. This real feather star sea lily fossil display presents a selection of those columnals from a 541-million-year lineage still represented by living species in the world's oceans today.

The Authentic Crinoid Columnal Segments for Collectors and Classrooms

This is not a cast. This is a genuine fossil. Each specimen includes a Mini Museum certificate of authenticity and informational display card. Explore more in our Natural History Collection.