Wittmund Name Meaning: Sack of Hair
Seven Oaks Geologic Era: Jurassic
Wayne Location Found: Solnhofen, Germany
http://bwazan-mali.com/category/performances/notable-performances/ Size: 5 centimeters in diameter (if arms outstretched)…our specimen is about half that size with arms curled up
Estimated Range: Modern Germany
Extinction: 145 million years ago
This is a floating crinoid, or sea-lily as they are often called. In this case, the term ‘floating’ is very apt, as the swimming ability of Saccocoma was very limited, dependent on the movement of the arms. For mobility, Saccocoma would have been more dependent of water currents, and would have gone where the current took it. The arms’ primary purpose would have been the filtering of food and transport into the mouth, which would have been on the ventral (underside) of the body. Since Saccocoma was very small, it would have been ideal prey for larger animals, in particular ammonites. Indeed, Saccocoma fragments have been found in coprolites attributed to ammonites.