Fossil brittlestars
| Description: |
In life Brittlestars are in one piece, but upon dying their different sections tend to separate and disintegrate. Whole fossils like this are extremely rare and preserved only when the animals were suddenly buried whole. Brittle arms were useful for this creature. If a predator got hold of an arm, the arm could break off so the Brittlestar could escape. Brittlestars are related to modern seastars. |
|---|---|
| Source: |
http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/1404 |
| Collection: |
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis |
| Rights: | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/; |
| Copyright: |
Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0); |
| Subjects: |
Ophiuroidea Starfishes Starfishes, Fossil Animals, Fossil Fossils |
Further information on this record can be found at its source.
This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library.