Stand not included.

Species: Ophiura (brittle star)

Upper Ordovician: 485 million

Lower Kataoua Formation

Starfish are echinoderms of the order Asteroidea. They appear in the fossil record during the Ordovician, about 450 million years ago. Brittle stars are closely related to starfish and appear in the fossil record about the same time. Starfish and Brittle star fossils are not common as both disintegrate quickly after death. Unlike the brittle stars, true starfish have no demarcation between the arms and the ventral body and move by means of tube feet rather than by the sinuous movements of the arms.