ABSTRACT
Extant brachiopods and crinoids flourish together in the deeper waters of the Caribbean. Analogous brachiopod/crinoid associations are known from the Pleistocene of Jamaica (deeper-water fore reef), and the Miocene of Jamaica (island slope chalks), Barbados (accretionary prism) and Carriacou (turbiditic siliciclastic shelf). Brachiopod occurrences include at least two taxa from the terebratulide trinity of Argyrotheca-Terebratulina-Tichosina, less commonly associated with other taxa; crinoids are principally isocrinids, invariably including Neocrinus. Comparison with analogous modern environments indicates deposition in 150m water depth. In Carriacou, the presence of brachiopods and crinoids has disproved the supposition that the Middle Miocene Grand Bay Formation was shallow water in origin.
