Blastoid Fossil with Brachioles

Starting off the new year with a picture of a super rare fossil find. This is a blastoid fossil with a stem
and part of its very thin feeding tube brachioles intact (see arrow in picture). Blastoid is a species of the genus Pentremites. It was found in the Indiana Springs Member of Crawford County, Indiana, USA. The fossil dates to the lower Carboniferous Period (Mississippian).

Great find Kenny!

Parasites on Crinoid Fossil?

These images are quite interesting in that they show possible parasites or byrozoans on a crinoid stem fossil. These fossil was found in Scott County Indiana in the New Providence Formation. It dates to the Mississippian Period.

These might be something like the Wooster College paleontologists found on Jurassic crinoid stems: http://woostergeologists.scotblogs.wooster.edu/2014/11/14/woosters-fossils-of-the-week-a-new-crinoid-species-from-the-middle-jurassic-of-southern-israel-with-a-bonus-parasitic-infection/

Thanks to Kenny for images.

Unidentified Crinoid Holdfast Fossil

This image is of an unidentified crinoid holdfast attached to larger crinoid stem fossil. It was found in the New Providence Formation (Keokuk) of Scott County Indiana USA. This creature existed in the Mississippian Period. Thanks to Kenny for this image.