ABSTRACT
Two isocrinid species (?Isocrinus sp. A and sp. B, related to ?I. basaltiformis (Miller) and ?I. cingulatus (Muenster)) formed an important component of echinoderm-rich Early Hauterivian benthic communities, the relics of which are now studied at the famous ˇtramberk locality (Outer West Carpathians, northern Moravia). Locally concentrated isocrinid stem parts give evidence not only on taphonomic processes (disarticulation, fragmentation, abrasion, encrustation, a.o.) and depositional environments, but also on changes, resulting from later tectonic deformations of the respective strata. A succession of both processes can be mostly well defined. However, some columnal destructions could be easily confused. A fragmentation of columnals induced by preceding disintegration of originally monocrystalline skeletal calcite into small crystallites (pressure recrystallization?), reduction of firmness, breakage in the weakest directions (alpha-stereom) and secondary dispersion of fragments in the rock may be mentioned as a good example.
