New brittle star species found around 9.5-million-year-old whale fossil in Denmark

Researchers have discovered tiny skeletal plates of a new brittle star species, Ophiura huebnerjenseni, near fossil whale bones in southern Denmark. This finding from the Gram Clay Pit represents the first fossil record of brittle stars associated with a whale fall, providing rare insight into ancient marine ecosystems around whale carcasses 9.5 million years ago.

Originally published by gnews