Tiny critter among the crinoids

[IndianaCat]

Hi everyone!

 

I recently took a middle/high school group to Beltzville State Park to collect fossils from the Devonian Mahantango Fm. We found the usual plethora of crinoids, bryozoa, trilobites and corals, etc. Upon looking under the microscope, one student found a large amount of these tiny (like 3mm across) star-like creatures in one rock - superimposed upon bivalves and coral. She'd love to know what they are for her assignment. Thanks!

[ynot]

They look like root systems so maybe a holdfast for a sponge or some seaweed.(?)

[Fossildude19]

I agree, looks like a holdfast of some sort. 

Regards,

[IndianaCat]

Thank you gentlemen, I will pass on the message! Always a teaching moment.

[Miocene_Mason]

I agree holdfast. The only thing else I could think it being is an asterosoma.

[abyssunder]

At the mentioned dimension (3 mm across) I won't rule out an epibiont, something similar to Ascodictyon, if not that.

 

excerpt from Głuchowski, E. 2005. Epibionts on upper Eifelian crinoid columnals from the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50 (2): 315–328.

[westcoast]

Looks more like a trace fossil but not asterosoma which is more lobate.