Aethocrinus
| Aethocrinus Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| 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
[edit]- ^ Philip, G. M.; Strimple, H. L. (1971). "An Interpretation of the Crinoid Aethocrinus moorei Ubaghs". Journal of Paleontology. 45 (3): 491–493. JSTOR 1302696.
 | This prehistoric echinoderm-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |