Dendraster Echinoid Fossil Miocene Indonesia Genuine Sand Dollar Fossil Natural Marine Specimen with Certificate of Authenticity

Genuine Dendraster Echinoid Fossil – Miocene, Indonesia

This authentic Dendraster echinoid fossil, often referred to as a fossil sand dollar, comes from the rich Miocene marine deposits of Indonesia. Carefully selected for its natural detail and overall quality, this is the exact specimen you will receive, as shown in the photographs. Each fossil is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity featuring a lifetime guarantee, confirming its genuine prehistoric origin.

Fossil Identification & Taxonomy

Dendraster is a genus of extinct irregular echinoids, belonging to the class Echinoidea, order Clypeasteroida, and family Dendrasteridae. These echinoids are closely related to modern sand dollars and sea biscuits, sharing a highly specialised morphology adapted for life within sandy marine environments.

Dendraster is recognised for its distinctive flattened, disc-like test and well-defined petaloid structure. The genus was first formally described by Louis Agassiz, a pioneering 19th-century naturalist known for his extensive work on fossil echinoderms.

Geological Age & Depositional Setting

This specimen dates to the Miocene epoch (approximately 23 to 5.3 million years ago), a period characterised by warm seas and expanding shallow marine habitats. The Indonesian region during the Miocene supported extensive carbonate and siliciclastic marine systems, where echinoids like Dendraster thrived.

The fossil formed within fine-grained marine sediments, typically sands and silts deposited in shallow coastal or nearshore environments. After death, the calcareous test was rapidly buried, protecting it from erosion and allowing for detailed preservation through mineralisation.

Morphology & Diagnostic Features

This Dendraster fossil displays the classic anatomical features that make these echinoids so distinctive:

• A flattened, circular to slightly oval test, adapted for stability in shifting sediments
• Prominent petaloid ambulacra forming a five-petalled star pattern on the upper surface
• Fine plate structure and natural symmetry reflecting echinoid skeletal organisation
• A centralised feeding structure on the underside, typical of deposit-feeding echinoids

The petaloid pattern functioned in respiration and feeding, allowing the organism to process sediment efficiently while remaining partially buried.

Ecology & Behaviour

Dendraster was a burrowing, sediment-dwelling echinoid that lived just beneath the seabed surface. It fed by extracting organic material from the surrounding sediment, using specialised tube feet and spines to transport particles toward its mouth.

Its flattened shape allowed it to remain stable in low to moderate energy environments, such as sandy seabeds influenced by gentle currents. These organisms contributed to bioturbation, playing an important role in maintaining sediment structure and nutrient cycling within ancient marine ecosystems.

Preservation & Specimen Quality

This fossil has been selected for its clear petaloid detail, symmetry, and overall preservation, making it both an attractive display piece and a scientifically informative specimen.

• 100% genuine Dendraster echinoid fossil
• Includes Certificate of Authenticity (lifetime guarantee)
• Exact specimen shown in photographs
• Full sizing available in images for accurate scale

Collectability & Display Appeal

Dendraster fossils are highly valued for their elegant form and intricate natural patterns. Their close resemblance to modern sand dollars makes them especially appealing to collectors interested in evolutionary continuity and marine palaeontology.

This Miocene Dendraster from Indonesia represents a beautiful and scientifically significant fossil, offering a tangible connection to ancient shallow seas and the organisms that once inhabited them.