Echinosphaerites aurantum   scale in cms CLASS - Cystoidea ORDER - Rhombifera FAMILY - Echinosphaeritidae GENUS/SPECIES - Echinosphaerites aurantum ROCK UNIT - Wardell Formation AGE - Middle Ordovician (470 million years old) LOCALITY - Gate City, Scott Co., Virginia, USA The peculiar shape of this fossil has led to the nickname "crystal apples." The plates that cover the main body (theca) of this cystoid are much smaller than those of Caryocrinites. Some cystoids have robust, crinoid-like stems, but cystoids like Echinosphaerites are weakly attached by a very small stem. PRI 43608