Description
Partial Protaster Starfish from the Silurian Period
Starfish are actually animals that are called echinoderms like their modern relatives, they lived in shallow salt water seas and lagoons. They lived during the Paleozoic.
This Partial Protaster Starfish was one of only two species of Brittle Star Starfish, they shared a basic body styles consisting of arms and a central body. But these Brittle Stars had longer and more slender arms and a smaller body that other starfish.
These creatures thrived in the warm inland sea like the one that covered the area during the Silurian Period some 420 million years ago. Because these animals were living near what is now Middleport New York when under water they were established near a delta system that periodically buried the colonies in silt. This silt eventually hardened into stone that preserved the crinoids in glorious detail.
This is a Partial Protaster Starfish and sadly this one was damaged and disarticulated as it sat on the ocean floor. Because of the strong currents sometimes animals would fall apart after death. Still for the Rochester Shale fauna collector these are very rare fossils from the quarry.
The Rochester Shale is a wonderful exposure of Silurian rocks of Caleb’s quarry in Middleport New York.
The starfish is 2 1/2 inches at its widest point and sits on a gray colored matrix 4 inches x 4 1/2.
Professionally prepared with micro air abrasive technology.
Another Must Have for the Rochester Shale Fauna collector.
Protaster sp.
Silurian Period
Rochester Shale
Caleb’s Quarry
Middleport, New York
