Brittle Star Feeding Trace

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Brittle Star Feeding Trace

Seahorse Beach, Chesapeake Ranch Estates, Calvert Cliffs, Maryland

“This fossil was made when a brittle star (ophiuroid) burrowed into carbonate sediment to either hide from predators or to look for a bit of food. Brittle stars are echinoderms that appeared in the Ordovician and are still very much alive today. This Jurassic trace was formed when a brittle star essentially vibrated its way down into the loose sediment in a manner many of their descendants do today. The result is what appears to be an impression of the body (an external mold) but is actually formed by action of the animal.”