Fossil Creatures

Examples of fossilized wood.

Stromatolites from the classic Lester Park locality in New York plus other localities.

The 20th century's greatest fish story--the discovery of the "living fossil" coelacanth--still has legs.

More than 1000 Latin and Greek word elements that show up in formal plant names are listed by Karen Fletcher of the Garden Gate site. Very useful for dissecting fossil names.

About 150 terms related to geologic time units, major life forms, and common fossil body parts.

A professional-level site by the late Jim Craig contains hundreds of superb specimens with full annotations. Particularly strong in ammonites, but don't miss the ostracod section either.

Turtles and their fossil ancestors, from the University of California Museum of Palontology.

This researcher at the University of Manchester digs early xiphosurans and other Carboniferous beasties.

These single-celled lake dwellers are a new environmental indicator, according to the Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum.

A big gallery about nannofossils, the tiny one-celled shells with beautiful shapes.

The long history of this important class of animals, from the Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum.

Tantalizing closeups of coccolithophores are EMIDAS's current stock in trade, with more fossils promised.

The Coccolithophorid Evolutionary Biodiversity and Ecology Network site is a serious resource, but the photos of these curious microcreatures are compelling viewing for any visitor.

The earliest hard parts in the fossil record, these microscopic teeth belonged to organisms of Cambrian to Triassic age. An introduction from London's Global University.

Geo-Kansas offers an introduction to rugose and tabulate corals.

The group including most reptiles (and dinosaurs), from the University of California Museum of Palontology.

The extinct Pleistocene wolf of America, presented by Clark Kimberling of the University of Evansville.

This coccolith may be the most important single organism in the world climate system today; also maybe the most beautiful. The "Ehux" home page is full of pictures and scientific information.

An informative exhibit from the Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum.

These one-celled shelled creatures are extremely important fossils. An exhibit from the Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum.

The University of California Museum of Paleontology has images of dozens of different fossil forams.

Five pages about fossil snails from the Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum.

The University of Münster translated this authoritative, well-linked article about the earliest land plant communities.

An exhibit by the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Some of the rarities in Yale University's gigantic fossil collection are displayed here.

Oceans of Kansas is dedicated to mosasaurs, the marine reptiles that shared the world with the dinosaurs. Authoritative and personal, this site is what the Web is all about.

High-quality pictures of plant fossil specimens at the University of Florida, linked to bibliographic notes about each one.

The rich fossil record of this coal-mining state is presented with lucid explanations.

All about these important microfossils and their living counterparts, from the University of Utrecht, Netherlands.

Deep content about this important class of siliceous microfossil is presented by Fabrice Cordey at the University of Lyon, France.

The first coral reefs arose during the Silurian Period, and they're celebrated at this exhibit from the Milwaukee Public Museum.

The Geological Survey of Western Australia presents thorough detail on its world-class Precambrian stromatolite localities.

A spectacular display of Ordovician stromatolites is described on the Ottawa Riverkeeper site.

Mammals (and their extinct ancestors), from the University of California Museum of Palontology.

A huge, thorough, and attractive site created by Sam M. Gon III, highly recommended.

This "geobits" online pamphlet by the Illinois State Geological Survey is short, sweet, and yet wide-ranging.

A huge and beautifully illustrated wordlist of everything related to trilobites, created by Sam M. Gon III.

A "geobits" online pamplet about the Tully Monster by the Illinois State Geological Survey. There ought to be a Beanie Baby of this character.

Their long and illustrious lineage presented by the University of California Museum of Palontology.

A link list to pictures of fossil creatures as they appeared in life, from the University of California Museum of Paleontology.