Figure 1. Starfish Palasterina follmanni (a) X-ray/(b) surface picture; this fossil contains only a trivial amount of pyrite and absorbs few X-rays (a). The preparation shows more detail very clearly (b).
Figure 2. Starfish Loriolaster mirabilis (a) surface picture of the unprepared plate/(b) X-ray; here the X-ray shows the details of the skeleton; even the delicate webbing is easily distinguished.
Figure 3. Trilobite Chotecops sp; (a) in the un-X-rayed plate merely the head of the Trilobite and the apparently insignificant remainder can be assumed (see the surface picture). (b) The X-ray then, however, shows a complete animal with all body parts, excellently preserved and of rare pricelessness.
Figure 4. Starfish Taeniaster beneckei with the arthropod Mimetaster hexagonalis (a) X-ray/(b) surface picture; the fine-limbed unusual arthropod would not have been found but for X-rays. The plate was only 3–4 mm thick, but gave no indication of what lay beneath.
Figure 5. Three starfish Taeniaster beneckei: (a) surface picture of the partly prepared plate; (b) X-ray. The huge starfish overlaying another would not have been found without X-rays. The plate is about 8 mm thick and on the surface there is no hint of either fossil.
Figure 8. Crinoid Parisangulocrinus schmidti (surface picture); the crown is broadened out and shows the digestive tract next to the filigreed brachiolae; a second animal is partially hidden.
Figure 9. Crinoid Codiacrinus schultzei (X-ray), extraordinarily well preserved. A preparation of this lovely creature is unfortunately impossible because of the glassy hardness of the surrounding sediment rock.
