A Double Fossil Sea Lily (Crinoid) Mural
Early Jurassic (approx. 201 - 175 million years ago), Posidonia Shale Formation, Holzmaden, Germany
Auction Closed
July 26, 08:15 PM GMT
Estimate
15,000 - 20,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
A Double Fossil Sea Lily (Crinoid) Mural
Seirocrinus subangularis
Early Jurassic (approx. 201 - 175 million years ago)
Posidonia Shale Formation, Holzmaden, Germany
Heads measure 7¾ x 4¼ inches (19.7 x 10.8 cm) and 4⅜ x 3 inches (11.1 x 7.62 cm). Shale rock plaque measures 51 x 29½ x 1 inches (129 x 74.9 x 2.54 cm). 107 pounds (48.5 kg).
These specimens have been meticulously prepared, rendering exquisite detail adding greatly to their decorative appeal. All the important segmentation and body outlines of these interesting extinct creatures are displayed as they may have appeared in life 170 million years ago.
Ancient "sea lilies" — also known as crinoids (Seirocrinus subangularis) — belonged to the Echinodermata phylum and are thus distantly related to modern-day starfish and sea urchins. A number of unique characteristics that appear nowhere else in the animal kingdom give sea lilies their surrealistic appearance, most notably their pentaradial symmetry and a water vascular system that maintains hydraulic pressure in their tubular "feet."
Despite their name and flower-like appearance, ancient sea lilies were not plants, but rather, beautifully-colored tentacular invertebrate sea animals. Each sea lily would open its calyx (resembling the petals of a flower), which contained a filter-like organ that helped it capture and feed off of plankton. In this case, two sea lilies attached themselves to a piece of driftwood and floated out to sea together — their connection fossilized in time in shimmering, pyritized rock matrix.