Download Fossil Collecting in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma

Fossil Collecting in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma
The Arbuckle Mountains expose faulted and folded rocks that formed from the
Precambrian to Pennsylvanian periods (over 300 million years in duration). Some
of the rocks record ancient seas that covered the continents when sea levels were
much higher in the past. The mountains and associated folding formed during the
assembly of the last supercontinent (Pangea), when S. America collided with N.
America.
Collecting Site #1
White Mound, Sulphur Oklahoma
Age: Early Devonian
Formation: Haragan
Description of site:
The Haragan Formation is a shallow, warm-water environment that was rich with animal life in the
Devonian. It consists of a very soft limestone matrix, with harder fossils that are more resistant to
weathering. Wind and rain erosion remove the soft matrix, exposing the fossils at the surface. White
Mound is a world famous fossil collecting site, and has been visited by thousands of teachers and
students.
Collecting Site #2
177, Sulphur Oklahoma
Age: Ordovician
Formation: Bromide
Description of site:
The Bromide Formation formed as a warm-water, shallow, tropical environment near the equator in the
Ordovician. It's very similar to the Bahamas or other carbonate dominated environments on the Earth
today. It's very diverse with marine life, extraordinarily so. The dominant rock type is limestone and
limestone/shale interbeds. The Viola Formation is also exposed at 177, and is a much deeper, layered,
cooler water type of environment.
Common Fossils of the Bromide
Brachiopods
Echinoderms
Trilobites
Common Fossils of White Mound
Assorted Brachiopods
Trilobites
Ketternaspis
Reedops
Paciphacops
Trilobites
Horn Coral
Rugose (“Horn”) Corals
Favosites (Coral)