Eocrinoid Fossil Ordovician Kataoua Morocco Ancient Echinoderm Specimen Genuine Paleozoic Collectors Piece with Certificate of Authenticity

Genuine Ordovician Eocrinoid Fossil – Kataoua Region, Morocco

This genuine Eocrinoid fossil from the Kataoua area of Morocco is an exceptional example of an early echinoderm preserved from the Ordovician Period, over 440 million years ago. Eocrinoids are among the most primitive known members of the echinoderm lineage, providing an important glimpse into the early evolution of marine life during the Paleozoic Era.

The photograph shows the exact specimen you will receive. Each fossil is carefully chosen for preservation quality, natural detail, and display appeal. Full sizing can be confirmed in the listing photographs.

This fossil is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card.

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Fossil Type & Paleontological Significance

Eocrinoids are extinct echinoderms, related to modern sea stars, crinoids, and sea urchins. They represent some of the earliest stalked echinoderms, characterised by a plated body and feeding structures adapted to ancient seafloor environments.

Typical eocrinoid features may include:

• A theca (armoured body) composed of calcite plates

• A stalk or attachment structure for anchoring to the seabed

• Feeding appendages or brachioles for filter-feeding

• Symmetrical plating patterns reflecting echinoderm ancestry

These fossils are highly valued for their rarity and importance in understanding early echinoderm morphology and Paleozoic marine ecosystems.

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Geological Age – Ordovician Period

This specimen dates to the Ordovician Period, a major interval of the Paleozoic Era spanning approximately 485 to 444 million years ago. The Ordovician was a time of major marine diversification, often referred to as part of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.

During this period:

• Marine invertebrates flourished in shallow seas

• Early echinoderms expanded into diverse ecological niches

• Reef-building communities developed

• The oceans supported trilobites, brachiopods, cephalopods, and early corals

Eocrinoids were part of these thriving seafloor communities, filtering nutrients from seawater in warm, shallow marine settings.

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Kataoua Formation & Mecissi Area, Morocco

The Kataoua region of southern Morocco, including the Mecissi area, is internationally known for its richly fossiliferous Ordovician strata. These rocks were deposited in ancient marine basins along the northern margin of Gondwana, preserving a diverse assemblage of early Paleozoic life.

Fossils from this region are often found in fine-grained sedimentary rocks that allowed detailed preservation of delicate echinoderm plating. The depositional environment is interpreted as a shallow marine shelf, where organisms lived on or near the seabed.

Morocco’s Ordovician fossil localities are prized by collectors for both scientific importance and aesthetic preservation.

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Preservation & Display Qualities

This eocrinoid fossil specimen may display:

• Clear calcite plate structure

• Distinct body outline within the matrix

• Natural texture and Paleozoic surface detail

• Strong contrast between fossil and surrounding rock

Each fossil is unique due to natural variations in preservation, orientation, and matrix composition.

This specimen makes an excellent display piece for collectors of echinoderms, Ordovician fossils, or Moroccan Paleozoic material.

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Collecting, Educational & Gift Appeal

Ordovician eocrinoid fossils are ideal for:

• Paleozoic fossil collections

• Echinoderm evolution displays

• Natural history enthusiasts

• Educational teaching specimens

• Unique gifts for serious fossil collectors

Their ancient age and evolutionary importance make them especially meaningful additions to any collection.

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Authenticity & Certificate Included

This is a genuine Ordovician Eocrinoid fossil from the Kataoua region, Mecissi area, Morocco. The photograph shows the exact specimen you will receive, carefully selected for quality and authenticity.

Your purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. Please refer to the listing photographs for full sizing and scale.

A remarkable survivor from an ancient Ordovician sea, this eocrinoid fossil offers a tangible connection to early echinoderm evolution and Morocco’s world-famous Paleozoic fossil heritage.