Carboniferous crinoids

Abstract

During the Carboniferous, crinoids were commonly so abundant that their skeletal ossicles formed limestones termed encrinites. Major evolutionary changes occurred within the Camerata and Articuliformes, as the former were displaced by the latter as the dominant clade. Both the Mississippian and the Pennsylvanian subperiods started with high evolutionary rates and ended with low evolutionary rates associated with glaciation. Although not typically used for biostratigraphy, crown-based crinoid genera can be used as biostratigraphic indicators for Carboniferous stages. Palaeozoic crinoid biodiversity reached its maximum during the Carboniferous, from which there are numerous well-documented localities with high biodiversity. Faunas from the palaeobiogeographic regions of Laurussia, Palaeo-Tethys, and Gondwana are reviewed. For Mississippian crinoids, 37 genera are designated as biostratigraphically useful; and for the Pennsylvanian, 44 genera are identified. Recognition of the utility of these genera for biostratigraphy is important for dating crinoid deposits, which may be devoid of other biostratigraphically useful fossils; and add to our overall ability to delineate the temporal resolution of life on Earth.

Uncovering the hidden diversity of Mississippian crinoids (Crinoidea, Echinodermata) from Poland

“…Morphological terminology follows Ubaghs (1978a) , with modifications from Webster (1974) , for nodal and internodal terminology), Webster & Maples (2008) , Fig. 10.2; for brachial plate terminology), Ausich et al (2015) , and Ausich, Kammer & Mirantsev (2020) . All measurements are in mm, with * indicating an incomplete or crushed specimen.…”

“…Despite being primarily disarticulated columnal, pluricolumnal, and brachial plates, it is clear that late Tournaisian, late Viséan, and early Serpukhovian crinoid faunas existed in southern Poland. The late Viséan fauna had a high biodiversity and was dominated by cladid crinoids, which is typical for late Viséan crinoid faunas elsewhere ( Baumiller, 1994 ; Ausich, Kammer & Baumiller, 1994 ; Ausich, Kammer & Mirantsev, 2020 ), and remains of flexible and camerate crinoids are also present. Isolated brachial plates represent only a minority (c.a.…”

Invertebrados (Echinodermata, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Cnidaria, Porifera) del Carbonífero de Sierra Santa Teresa, Sonora, México: Consideraciones paleoecológicas y paleogeográficas

“…Los fósiles se recolectaron con control estratigráfico y en el Departamento de Geología de la Universidad de Sonora (UNISON) se realizó la preparación de las muestras y la obtención de imágenes fotográficas; en el Instituto de Geología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) se continuó con el trabajo de laboratorio y gabinete. Para el estudio de los invertebrados se utilizó la información de los trabajos de Ausich (1998); Ausich et al (1999); Ausich et al (2022); Bassler (1953); Buitrón-Sánchez Stukalina (1966); Stukalina (1988). Se asignaron a los ejemplares fósiles números provisionales del Catálogo USONDG-240-256, de la Colección Paleontológica del Departamento de Geología de la Universidad de Sonora.…”