Ophiomicros bathursti: A New Cretaceous Ophiuroid Fossil Description

Ophiomicros bathursti, a new genus and species of ophiuroid (brittle star), is described from Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) strata on Bathurst Island, Northern Territory. The description highlights morphological distinctions, such as unusually large oral plates and small adoral plates, which differentiate it from allied genera like Ophiura and Amphiura. This dataset comprises the formal taxonomic publication detailing the fossil's discovery and classification.

Use Cases

• Comparative morphological analysis based on described plate structures.
• Taxonomic classification and phylogenetic placement of new ophiuroid genera.
• Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Cenomanian marine strata in Northern Australia.
• Reference for fossil identification in Cretaceous geological surveys.

Strengths

• Provides a formal, peer-reviewed description of a new fossil genus and species.
• Includes specific morphological comparisons to established genera (Ophiura, Amphiura).
• Precisely locates the specimen to Cenomanian strata on Bathurst Island, Northern Territory.

Limitations

• Dataset structure is undefined; column names and data format are unknown.
• No row count, file size, or explicit license information is provided.
• The data appears to be a static publication without ongoing updates or expansion.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia

Collection Method

Scientific research and taxonomic description published as a GA Publication.

Time Range

Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous)

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-06-09 according to the most recent record.

Geography

Bathurst Island, Northern Territory, Australia