Crinoid Fossil Plate

Crinoid Fossil Plate (believed to be Uintacrinus socialis)
Eastern United States, North America
Cretaceous period (about 145 to 66 million years ago)

During the Cretaceous Period; North America was two separate land masses with a narrow western and larger eastern landmass with a seaway between them. Near the end of the geological period, the seas retreated and the Rocky Mountains began to push up. The Uintacrinus socialis is a stemless crinoid that lived in the shallow Cretaceous seas that covered much of North America roughly 70 million years ago. This specimen hosts many parts of the animal exoskeleton. No full fossil example is present on this sedimentary ocean floor plate. The segments are embedded within a limestone matrix with an unfinished surface. Plate measures 7.5"H x 6.5"W x 2"D, with an estimated weight of 10lbs.