Late Cretaceous Sea Lilies (Crinoids, Crinoidea) from the Miechow Trough, Southern Poland

Our knowledge on Late Cretaceous crinoids (Crinoidea) from the Miechow Trough in southern Poland is far from complete. Here, I report 17 crinoid taxa from this area, the most of which have not hitherto been figured or described (Isocrinus sp. - Cenomanian-Coniacian, Isocrinus? granosus VALETTE - Cenomanian-Turonian, Nielsenicrinus carinatus (ROEMER) - Santonian-Campanian, Bourgueticrinus sp. - Cenomanian-Maastrichtian, Bourgueticrinus constrictus (VON HAGENOW in guENSTEDT) - Campanian, Bourgueticrinus ellipticus (MILLER) - Santonian, Bourgueticrinus granulosus PERON - Campanian, Bourgueticrinus hureae (VALETTE) - Campanian, Bourgueticrinus? cf. suedicus - (CARPENTER) - Cenomanian, Dunnicrinus cf. aequalis (D'ORBIGNY) - Maastrichtian, Comatulida - Cenomanian-Turonian, Glenotremites paradoxus GOLDFUSS - Cenomanian-Turonian, Glenotremites rotundus (CARPENTER) - Cenomanian, Marsupites testudinarius (VON SCHLOTHEIM) Upper Santonian, Apiocrinites sp. - Upper Cenomanian, Tetracrinus jagti SALAMON, GAJERSKI, GORZELAK & LUKOWIAK - Cenomanian, Cyathidium depressum SIEVERTS Cenomanian-Turonian). These are the richest and the most diversified crinoid assembalges in Poland. On the other hand, reported crinoid assemblages are taxonomically less diversified as those known from neighboring areas in Western and Eastern Europe. Among documented crinoids there are typical Tethyan taxa with no endemic and boreal forms, although it should be reminded that the latter ones were occasionally reported in other parts of the European Tethys.