|  This
is an exquisitely preserved example of a free-swimming, stemless
crinoid from the Cretaceous Sublithographic Limestone of Haqel,
Lebanon, currently known as Antedon. The genus has been called Pterocoma
, but that genus is preoccupied by a genus of insects established
in 1834. The elongated pinnules seem to be an adaptation to a low
current environment. The long pinnules would be better able to filter
out the limited food supplies, giving this crinoid an advantage
over others. The genus was quite long-lived in that it was found
in the Jurassic deposits of Solnhofen, Germany. There are additional
partial examples found in the upper left and center of the plaque.
Examples of crinoids from the Cenomanian (95 million year old) deposits
of Lebanon are not readily available, making this a unique opportunity
to enhance a collection of crinoids.
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