Download Common Missouri Fossils - Alton R-IV

Common Missouri
Fossils
Trilobites

Trilobites are extinct
sea creatures that
were one of the first
forms of life on earth.
They ruled the world
before the time of the
dinosaurs.
What do you think
Trilobites are related
to?
Trilobites Today


Their closest living
relative today is the
horseshoe crab.
They are also related
to the lobster and
crab.
Fern Fossils


The fern fossil
records extend
back 400 million
years ago.
Ferns live in a wide
range of habitats,
ranging from the
tropics to cold
temperate regions.
Are ferns the same
today as they were
400 million years ago?
Modern Ferns
Yes. Did you know that ferns have leaves,
called fronds, which usually consist of leaflets.
Crinoids


Crinoids resemble
flowers, with their
cluster of waving arms
on a long stem. They
are sometimes called
sea lilies.
Crinoids are not
plants. They are
animals that have
lived in the world's
oceans more than 490
million years ago.
What are modern
Crinoids?
Crinoid relatives

A Passion Flower feather star
Modern day relatives
are starfish, sea
urchins, sea
cucumbers, and
feather stars.
Ancient Gastropods


Gastropods are the
most diverse and
abundant type of
mollusks, with nearly
35,000 living and
15,000 fossil species
identified so far.
Gastropods include
snails, slugs, conchs,
whelks, and limpets.
What are modern
gastropods?
Modern Gastropods

Present day relatives
are both marine and
land snails and slugs.
Fossil Bivalves

Bivalves are among
the oldest fossils from
more than 500 million
years ago.
Do you have any idea what
modern Bivalves are?
Modern Bivalve


Bivalves are mollusks.
They have two shells
that are right and left
handed which are
asymmetrical.
Fossilized Fish


Fish are the most
abundant of all living
vertebrates and make up
more than half of the
approximately 48,500
species with us today!
Fish are rare as fossils
because the fragile
nature of a fish body
makes it a poor candidate
for fossilization (except
shark's teeth).
How do you think fish
have changed over
time?
Modern Day Fish
Mastodons



Mastodons were leaf
eaters with multicusped teeth.
Mastodons became
extinct approximately
11,000 years ago.
Mammoths were
larger and had teeth
adapted primarily for
grazing (eating
grasses).
Was the Mastodon the same
as the Mammoth?
Modern Day Mastodons


Mammoths were larger
and had teeth adapted
primarily for grazing
(eating grass).
Closest modern day
relative is the
elephant.
Now - Compare the Old to the New
Compare the Old to the New