An unusual accumulation of crinoids from the Silurian of the Howgill Fells, Cumbria, UK

Abstract

Summary A slab of Wenlock sandstone from the valley of the River Rawthey in the Howgill Fells, Cumbria, northern England, preserves a monospecific association of long, parallel to sub-parallel crinoid pluricolumnals. No crowns or attachment structures are associated; this is either an artefact of cut effect or an indication that the columns had been autotomized in response to adverse environmental conditions. The accumulation is allochthonous, but may represent a life assemblage. Current direction corresponded to the long axes of the pluricolumnals, as indicated by an example of a ‘train crash’ crinoid pluricolumnal.