Jimbacrinus

Crinoid, Jimbacrinus bostocki

Jimbacrinus, nicknamed feather star, belong to the order Cladida, long since extinct. These marine creatures were a type of crinoid, a class that is characterized by a fivefold symmetry and often confused for plants. While few crinoids exist in the present-day, they were once found found in larger numbers during the Paleozoic Era, particularly during the Permian Period. An abundance of fossils of Jimbacrinus are found in Western Australia where some species once grew up to 25 cm (10 in) tall. This specific genus lived solely in what is now Australia, but other fossils from the extinct family Calceolispongiidae have also been found in the United States and India in addition to Australia.

From the newest fossil collection at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary.