Paleozoic-Fossil Identification Review

Chart and pictures

The next 9 slides contain general information about some of the

phylum and organisms

Protista

The Protista, = a kingdom of simple eukaryotic organisms, usually composed of a single cell or a colony of similar cells. Protists live in water, in moist

terrestrial habitats, and as parasites in the bodies of multicellular eukaroytes.

Protozoa- Single celled (Amoeba) Porifera- Body with pores( sponge)

Cnidaria- Tentacles/ Stinging cells (corals) Arthropods-Jointed bodies or legs (Insects)

Mollusks - animals with shells (Snails, clams) Echinoderms- spiny skinned (starfish)

Phylum Porifera - The Sponges

Name means "pore-bearing". Covered by tiny pores.

CORALS Phylum = Cnidaria

BIVALVES Gastropods

Phylum = Mollusca

Snails and slugs Chief characteristics: Asymmetrical, spiral-coiled calcareous shell.

means " two" (bi) + " shells" (valves

Clams, oysters, scallops, mussels, rudists Chief characteristics:

Skeleton consists of two sections connected by a hinge.

Phylum- Mollusk-Extinct Cephalopod- Belemnites • Belemnites have shell that resembles a cigar

rostrum. • The belemnites were highly successful during the

Jurassic and Cretaceous.

similar to the modern squid and closely related to the modern cuttlefish.

Ammonites

• Ammonites were among the dominant swimming invertebrates in Mesozoic seas.

• were so abundant and varied that the Mesozoic could be called the "Age of Ammonites".

Phylum- Mollusk-Bivalves-Rudists

found in limestone rocks

shallow marine environments

Difference between Brachiopods and Mollusk Bivalves

Bivalves

Sides the same

Cut down the middle= not the same

Phylum Arthropoda

• Insects, spiders, shrimp, crabs, lobsters, barnacles,, trilobites

Phylum Echinodermata

• Starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, crinoids, blastoids, and others

• Name: Echinodermata means "spiny" (echinos) + "skin" (derma).

Echinoderms Crinoids

Paleozoic Fossil Identification

Part 1 = Fossil Chart 1

Red= Phylum,

Black = Class or Common Name

9-Bryozoa- Bryozoa-(moss animals)

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Bryozoa Moss Animals 1.Sessile (fixed) 2. Colony 3.Not a predator 4.Suspension feeder-Tentacles 5. Deep water, few shallow 6. abundant- Ordovician

13- Brachiopod- Brachiopods

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Brachiopod 1.Pedicle-(foot)-anchors to floor 2. Solitary 3. Not a predator 4. Filter feeder 5. Mostly deep water 6. abundant- Ordovician

23- Mollusca Gastropods -snails

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Mollusk Class-Gastropods snails 1.Crawl 2.Solidary 3.Some predators 4.Bottom feeders, scavengers, grazers 5. Shallow / deep water 6. Appeared in Cambrian- abundant- later

29,30,31- Arthropods-Trilobite

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Arthropods Trilobites 1. Swim / crawl 2. Solidary 3. Bottom or Filter feeders (scavengers) 4 Early Trilobite= possible predators of worms 5. Deep water 6.Abundant in Cambrian

38-Hemichordata

Graptolites

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Hemichordata Class –Graptolites 1. Floated ( like plankton) 2. Colony - formed large floating masses 3 Not a predator 4. Suspension feeders- tentacles 5. Shallow / deep 6. Abundant- Ordovician

42-Chlorophyta

Algae

Kingdom – Plantae Phylum- Chlorophyta Class – Green Algae 1.Floats or becomes Stationary 2. Colony 3. Not a predator 4. Plants produce own food –filter nutrients from the water / bacteria Shallow water- need sunlight 6. Appeared in Archean

Paleozoic Fossil Identification

Part 2-Fossil Chart 2

Red= Phylum,

Black = Class or Common Name

1-Protista Resembles Rice

Protozoa Kingdom- Protista Phylum- Protista 1.Float/ Swim 2. Colony 3. predator- y/n 4. Filter feeder 5. Deep water, few shallow 6. abundant-Cambrian

5-Cnidaria/ Coelenterata -Coral

Horn Coral

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Cnideria Horn Coral 1.Sessile (fixed) 2. Colony 3.Not a predator 4.Suspension feeder-Tentacles/ Stinging cells 5.Shallow Water, few deep 6. abundant- end of Ordovician

6-Cnidaria/ Coelenterata

CORAL

Horn Coral

7-Cnideria/ Colenterata

Coral

http://www.geosci.usyd.edu.au/users/prey/FieldTrips/Yass04/Devonian.html

8-Cnidaria

Coral

Hexacoral

10-Bryozoa-Bryozoa

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Bryozoa Moss Animals 1.Sessile (fixed) 2. Colony 3.Not a predator 4.Suspension feeder-Tentacles 5. Deep water, few shallow 6. abundant- Ordovician

11-Bryozoa- Bryozoa

12-Brachiopod

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Brachiopod 1.Pedicle-(foot)-anchors to floor 2. Solitary 3. Not a predator 4. Filter feeder 5. Mostly deep water 6. abundant- Ordovician

14-Brachiopods

15-Brachiopods

26-Mollusca-Cephalopods

Ammonite

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Mollusk Class-Cephalopods Ammonite -Squid- like 1.Jet propulsion- movement 2. Solidary 3. Predators 4. Hunted, Caught and ate with powerful jaws, located at the base of the tentacles 5. Shallow warm waters 6. Abundant – Ordovician, and Triassic(later)

32-Arthropods

Trilobite

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Arthropods Trilobites 1. Swim / crawl 2. Solidary 3. Bottom or Filter feeders (scavengers) 4 Early Trilobite= possible predators of worms 5. Deep water 6.Abundant in Cambrian

34-Echinoderm-Crinoid

Crinoids

stems Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Echinoderms Crinoids 1. Sessile (fixed) 2. Solidary 3. Suspension feeders (scavengers) 4 not a predator 5. Shallow water 6.Abundant in Mississippian

35-Echinoderm

Blastoids

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Echinoderms Blastoids (Sea Buds) 1. Sessile (fixed) 2. Solidary 3. suspension feeders =long hair-like structures that swept food into the mouth 4 not a predator 5. Shallow water 6.Abundant in Mississippian

44-Chlorophyta

Algae/ some bacteria

Kingdom – Protista/ Plantae Phylum- Chlorophyta Class – Blue/Green Algae & Cyanobacteria 1.Floats or becomes Stationary 2. Colony 3. Not a predator 4. Plants produce own food –filter nutrients from the water / bacteria 5.Shallow water- need sunlight 6. Appeared in Archean

45-Gymnosperm

Ferns/ Spore bearing

Kingdom –Plantae Class – Ferns 1.Stationary- Later found on trees 2. Plants produce own food 3. Non- flowering 4. Spore- bearing 5.Appeared in Devonian

U-Dig Fossils http://www.rockpicks.net/udig.htm

Pick up some gear and go find some Trilobites!

Trilobites of the Wheeler Shale, Utah

Western Utah is one of the best-known Cambrian fossil localities in the world

Location of Utah today

Locality of Utah during the

Early Cambrian

Some Notable Trilobite Localities

Trilobites

House Range in Utah, or Coal County in Oklahoma produce some beautiful specimens