This is a fossilized Crinoid Calyx from the Salthill Quarry in Clitheroe Lancashire. You will receive the exact fossil as pictured. Crinoids, sometimes called "sea lilies" (despite being animals, not plants), are marine echinoderms related to starfish and sea urchins. They’ve been floating, crawling, or anchoring themselves to the seabed for over 450 million years! While modern crinoids still exist, the fossilised remains of their ancient cousins are far more common, especially in limestone-rich areas where their segmented stalks often turn up like tiny, stacked coins. The calyx is the central body of the crinoid - the cup-shaped bit that houses all the important soft parts, like the mouth and digestive organs. It’s usually the most intricate and well-protected part of the creature, often preserved with beautiful detail in fossils. From this calyx, feathery arms would have extended to catch food drifting by in the water, giving these ancient creatures their flower-like appearance. So with this fossil, you’re looking at the core of a prehistoric ocean filter-feeder that’s seen more than a few mass extinctions come and go.
