Biology:Aethocrinus

From HandWiki
Short description: Extinct genus of echinoderms

Aethocrinus
Temporal range: Lower Ordovician
Scientific classification e
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Crinoidea
Family: Aethocrinidae
Genus: Aethocrinus

Aethocrinus is an early-diverging crinoid reported from the Early Ordovician.[1] Its five arms bifurcate.

The contested Echmatocrinus notwithstanding, it is a candidate for the earliest true member of the crinoid class – though not being a member of the crown group, quite where within the stem group to draw the distinction between eocrinoids and crinoids is a somewhat arbitrary decision.


References

  1. Philip, G. M.; Strimple, H. L. (1971). "An Interpretation of the Crinoid Aethocrinus moorei Ubaghs". Journal of Paleontology 45 (3): 491–493. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1302696. 

Wikidata ☰ Q120465907 entry