Found an old patch of gravel. Crinoid and coral?

[icycatelf]

While we've had gravel brought in since, there's a small patch of gravel near the garage that was already here before we moved here 13-ish years ago that never really caught my eye. I checked it out yesterday and, to my surprise, I actually found more than what I typically do while looking through the gravel in my much larger driveway in a day.

I found this first, which resembles a cluster of miniature Cheerios. There's actually a lot of this in that patch. Coral instantly came to mind, but I can't find any pictures that look quite like it. After I took the picture, I noticed a small disc with radiating lines to the left that I'm not sure if it's a crinoid columnal (it looks like it might have a dot in the center) or a section through coral/bryozoan. Piece measures about 3cm wide.

Then I found this that I thought was really cool. It appears to me to be a crinoid stalk. Piece measures about 3cm tall.



Here are a couple of brachiopods that I also found in that patch if it helps ID the age (I assume Mississippian) and/or formation that they came from:

Edited May 24, 2016 by icycatelf

[abyssunder]

The first one, in my opinion, is an Oolite composed of ooids, spherical grains with concentric layers of Calcium Carbonate. More details here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oolite

Here is a polished one in my collection, from Madagascar (35 mm in diameter) :

Edited May 24, 2016 by abyssunder

[lissa318]

This jumps out at me on the first one.

[abyssunder]

Oolite could contain foraminiferans or other little fossil fragments, also, the tiny ooids could form around these.
The little pentagonal " thing" looks to be a crinoid columnal to me.

[fifbrindacier]

I think you're right, the second photo might show a crinoid.

[tmaier]

I'd like to add that "ooid" is fun to say, but difficult to work into everyday conversation. =-)