Pauly, L.; Villier, L. (2025). Sea stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) from the Wallücke echinoderm Lagerstätte (Callovian, W Germany). PalZ.

510761

10.1007/s12542-025-00731-2 [view]

Pauly, L.; Villier, L.

2025

Publication

The Jurassic was an exceptionally important time for the evolution of crown-group sea stars, but articulated fossils are very rare and usually restricted to obrution deposits. Here we describe a Callovian asteroid fauna from the Wallücke echinoderm Lagerstätte within the Ornatenton Formation of the Wiehen Hills. Deposition of several tempestitic obrution layers in an otherwise low-energy, shallow-marine setting led to preservation of fully articulated asteroid specimens. Three species are recognized: the astropectinid Pentasteria (Pentasteria) sp., based on isolated marginal ossicles, the early cribelline Borszczia wallueckensis gen. et sp. nov. and the multiarmed plumasterid Plumaster echinoides sp. nov., both based on several articulated specimens each. Pentasteria is a common genus of Jurassic sea stars that probably lived as relatively unspecialized predators. B. wallueckensis marks the oldest fossil record of the Cribellina, infaunal deposit feeders which are today restricted to deep-marine settings. P. echinoides is interpreted as a highly specialized carnivorous form, convergent with solasterid sea stars in overall morphology, brittle stars in arm articulation structures and benthopectinid sea stars as well as regular sea urchins in the development of very long, moveable spines on the abactinal surface. The findings hint at a higher diversity and disparity of asteroids in the European Callovian than the current fossil record suggests, albeit usually not recorded because of taphonomic and sampling biases.

Europe

Paleontology, Fossils, Paleobiology
Systematics, Taxonomy

Asteroidea

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