BARYCRINUS (CRINOIDEA) FROM THE LOWER CARBONIFEROUS OF ENGLAND

The Early Carboniferous (Mississippian) cyathocrinine cladid crinoid Barycrinus, which is common in North America, has hitherto been recognized from Britain only on the evidence of one species, Barycrinus ribblesdalensis (Wright), based on rare dorsal cups. Barycrinus sp. pluricolumnals and plurimeres are common in the Salthill Cap Beds (Chadian), Salthill Quarry, Clitheroe, Lancashire, but are not conspecific with B. ribblesdalensis. Salthill ossicles are never preserved as individual columnals due to the relative weakness of the intermeric versus the longitudinal ligaments.