A new prospect in crinoid (Crinoidea, Echinodermata) research: an example from the Lower Jurassic of Montenegro

Abstract

Lower Jurassic (Hettangian-Pliensbachian) shallow-marine ooidal limestones of southern Montenegro contain a large number of isocrinid ossicles. They are assigned to the following taxa: Iso-crinus psilonoti (QUENSTEDT), Isocrinus sp., and Pentacrinites cf. fossilis BLUMENBACH. The echinoderm assemblage also yields cyrtocrinid ossicles (Cotylederma sp., Cyrtocrinina indet.) and echinoid spines (only spotted in thin sections); however, these elements are rare. Given the fact that the recorded assemblage comes from a single locality, there is a growing need for further research that will require intense sampling to compile and complete the faunal list of crinoids and other echinoderm taxa.