Rare 4-petal mutation of the sand dollar Scutellaster oregonensis (Clark, in Dall, 1909) recently donated to our paleontological research by beachcomber and collector Wendy Frye and identified by Richard Mooi of the @California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. This is from the Purisima Formation here in Santa Cruz and is on the order of 2-3 million years old. As you may recall, echinoids typically have pentagonal (5-part) symmetry, making this discovery on par with a 4-leaf clover. This one is on its way to the paleontology collections of the Academy tomorrow on my monthly migration. Thank you Wendy!
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