ENCRINITE

or CRINOIDEA (Gr. krinon, lily, and eidos, form), a name often applied to all the marine animals of the cla Crinoidea or stone-lilies, phylum Echinoderm at a, except feather-stars; but more specifically restricted to the genera having rounded, smooth stems attached to the bottom, and supporting the body of the animal, which has numerous jointed arms radiating from a central disc, in which the mouth is situated. Encrinites were exceedingly numerous in past ages of the world’s history; of those still existing our knowledge has been greatly increased of recent years through deep-sea dredging. Some of these forms are very graceful and interesting. See CRINOIDEA; ECHINODERM AT A.