Fossils are signs and remains of ancient living things preserved in the Earth's crust. Here are pictures of some major fossil types that are either common in sedimentary rocks, scientifically important, or widely available in rock shops.
More background:
What are fossils?
Lagerstätten, the world's best fossil localities
Official state fossils of the United States
How fossils support evolution
- AmmonoidsAmmonoids ruled the seas for 300 million years
- BivalvesThe classic shellfish dates from Cambrian times
- BrachiopodsThey look like bivalves but are quite different
- Cold SeepA miniature seafloor community of Paleocene age
- ConcretionsThe most common false fossils
- Coral (Colonial)The typical coral of today
- Coral (Solitary or Rugose)Coral loners of the Paleozoic
- CrinoidsSea lilies in their heyday
- Dinosaur BonePolished as a cool red trabecular gemstone
- Dinosaur EggsChinese specimens in a high-end rock shop
- Dung FossilsA big old mammoth turd
- FishRock-shop commonplaces
- Graphic Index
- Text Index
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