ISOCRINID CRINOIDS FROM THE LATE CENOZOIC OF JAMAICA

Eight species of isocrinines have been documented from the Lower Creta ceous to Pleistocene of Jamaica. New finds include a second specimen o f a Miocene species from central north Jamaica, previously regarded as Diplocrinus sp. but reclassified as Teliocrinus? sp. herein. Extant T eliocrinus is limited to the Indian Ocean, although Miocene specimens have been recorded from Japan, indicating a wider distribution during the Neogene. One locality in the early Pleistocene Manchioneal Formati on of eastern Jamaica has yielded three species of isocrinine, Cenocri nus asterius (Linn), Diplocrinus maclearanus (Thomson) and Neocrinus d ecorus Thomson. These occur in association with the bourgueticrinine D emocrinus sp. or Monachocrinus sp. These taxa are all extant and sugge st a minimum depositional depth for the Manchioneal Formation at this locality of about 180 m. This early Pleistocene fauna represents the m ost diverse assemblage of fossil crinoids documented from the Antillea n region.