Ancient Crinoid Preserves Rare Soft Tissue, Older Than Dinosaurs by 200 Million Years
A University of Oklahoma team reports a 450-million-year-old crinoid fossil (Dendrocrinus simcoensis) that preserves soft tissue—the oldest crinoid fossil with soft tissue and only the second example overall—offering rare insights into early reef life and crinoid feeding via tube feet, well before dinosaurs, and highlighting the enduring value of museum collections for new discoveries.