Scyphocrinites lobolith?

[electricshaman]

This specimen was found in a Hunton Group bed (Early Silurian to Early Devonian) in southern Carter County, Oklahoma. I think it's a Scyphocrinites lobolith. Any guess as to the species? It looks like it's in pretty bad shape but all of the damage is mineralized and very stable. Could that possibly mean the lobolith was crushed before or shortly after the organism died? If I understand correctly, these organs were hollow and filled with air for flotation purposes.

Edited December 4, 2015 by electricshaman

[abyssunder]

You are correct, it's a Lobolith, known as Camarocrinus, considered to be an attachment of Silurian-Devonian Scyphocrinitid (Scyphocrinus) which permitted the buoyancy necessary to a planctonic lifestyle of the crinoid. https://www.google.ro/search?q=camarocrinus&biw=1360&bih=612&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBsQsARqFQoTCOPa-pPV4MgCFQZncgodVkMGCg&dpr=1&gws_rd=cr&ei=FDkxVrCZGsiqywO41b6wAQ#gws_rd=cr&imgrc=_

More information you could find in the documents below.
Fossil Crinoids - Hans Hess et al. http://catdir.loc.go...34/98011645.pdf
On the Crinoid Genus Schyphocrinus And its Bulbous Root Camarocrinus - Frank Springer https://ia700809.us....nussc00spri.pdf

Nice find BTW and good pictures.

Edited December 4, 2015 by abyssunder

[Guguita2104]

You are correct, it's a Lobolith, known as Camarocrinus, considered to be an attachment of Silurian-Devonian Scyphocrinitid (Scyphocrinus) which permitted the buoyancy necessary to a planctonic lifestyle of the crinoid. https://www.google.ro/search?q=camarocrinus&biw=1360&bih=612&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBsQsARqFQoTCOPa-pPV4MgCFQZncgodVkMGCg&dpr=1&gws_rd=cr&ei=FDkxVrCZGsiqywO41b6wAQ#gws_rd=cr&imgrc=_

1.jpg

More information you could find in the documents below.

Fossil Crinoids - Hans Hess et al. http://catdir.loc.go...34/98011645.pdf

On the Crinoid Genus Schyphocrinus And its Bulbous Root Camarocrinus - Frank Springer https://ia700809.us....nussc00spri.pdf

Nice find BTW and good pictures.

Very good info Abyssunder!

I also agree with Scyphocrinites lobolith.

[abyssunder]

Thank you!

I suppose that the Lobolith,attached to the end of the crinoid stem, was crushed after the organism died, and was filled with sediment, then hardened in the crystallization process. The specimen in question is a little crushed, but this fact permits to see some details of the structure, exemplified in the above picture and also in the next pic. I note how good are preserved the details of the external layer, the little plates of the exterior wall.

Buoy crinoids (Scyphocrinitidae, Echinodermata) in newly dated Upper Silurian to lowermost Devonian strata of SE Morocco - Reimund Haude, Maria G. Corriga, Carlo Corradini & Otto H. Walliser http://www.researchgate.net/publication/230513369_Bau_und_Funktion_der_ScyphocrinitesLobolithen

[electricshaman]

abyssunder,

Thank you! This is great information!

[Harry Pristis]

Excellent info. I wasn't aware of the term "lobolith."