Sea Urchin (Echinodermata) Fossil

Item Description

The term Echinoderm is name commonly used for marine animals which are recognized by the radial body symmetry (usually five-pointed). Some of the more well-known animals are starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers. The name comes from the Greek word echinos meaning"hedgehog" and derma meaning "skin". Recently a good friend in Morocco supplied us with some amazingly well-defined / well-preserved, SHARP disticnt sea urchin fossils which date back to the Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous Epoch, between 72.1 and 83.6 million years ago. This piece is in incredible condition as it's not dull or rounded, but actually shows all of the tiny sharp spines on its exterior and a pleasing soft golden color, not a poor gray hue that is seen in some sea urchin fossils from other localities around the world. A very worthwhile piece for any fossil collector, or even a mineral collector who appreciates good quality fossils.