Scyphocrinus is an extinct genus of crinoids that thrived in ancient oceans during the Silurian and Devonian periods. These organisms are sometimes called "sea lilies" due to their plant-like appearance, though they were actually animals related to starfish and sea urchins.
The bulbous structure at the base of Scyphocrinus stems—sometimes classified as a separate genus called Camarocrinus—functioned as a root system, anchoring the animal to the seafloor while it filtered food from the surrounding water.
Crinoids are marine invertebrates in the phylum Echinodermata, sharing ancestry with starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Today's crinoids come in two forms: stalked "sea lilies" and free-swimming "feather stars." They inhabit ocean depths ranging from shallow reefs to nearly 9,000 meters below the surface.
Unlike most animals, crinoids have their mouth on the upper surface, surrounded by feathery feeding arms that spread wide to capture plankton. While the basic five-fold symmetry of echinoderms is present, most crinoids have ten or more subdivided arms. Many species attach to the seafloor as juveniles but break free to swim as adults.
Only about 700 crinoid species exist today, but they were once among Earth's most abundant marine animals. Entire limestone beds from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras are composed almost entirely of fossilized crinoid fragments.
The Silurian Period lasted 24.6 million years, from 443.8 to 419.2 million years ago. It's the shortest period of the Paleozoic Era and began in the aftermath of a catastrophic mass extinction that wiped out up to 60% of marine genera.
The Devonian Period spanned 60.3 million years, from 419.2 to 358.9 million years ago. Named after Devon, England, where its rocks were first studied, this period is often called the "Age of Fishes" for the explosive diversification of fish species in Earth's oceans.
This specimen was acquired in March 2024 from Stones & Bones Collection, a fossil dealer serving museums, educational institutions, and private collectors since 1989.