Double Fossil Brittle Star | Germany

Sinosura kelheimense
Late Jurassic (150 myo)
Eichstatt, Germany
Solnhofen Limestone

Specimen approx. sizes: 1.5" x 1" & 0.75" x 0.5" partial

Matrix approx. size: 3.25" x 2"

Sinosura kelheimense is an extinct brittle star, a marine echinoderm related to modern sea stars and sea urchins. Its delicate, five-armed body and slender, articulated arms preserve a remarkable record of ancient marine life.

Brittle stars belong to the class Ophiuroidea and are recognized by their distinct central disk and long, flexible arms, which they used to move across the seafloor. Unlike true sea stars, brittle stars rely primarily on their arms for locomotion.

Fossils of Sinosura kelheimense are associated with the Solnhofen region of Bavaria, Germany, famous for its exceptionally preserved Jurassic marine fossils. These deposits provide a fascinating glimpse into ancient marine ecosystems approximately 150 million years ago.