How old is my brachiopod fossil?
How old is my brachiopod fossil?
550 million years
Brachiopods have a very long history of life on Earth; at least 550 million years. They first appear as fossils in rocks of earliest Cambrian age and their descendants survive, albeit relatively rarely, in today’s oceans and seas.
How would you tell the difference between an articulate brachiopod and an inarticulate brachiopod?
Articulate brachiopods have toothed hinges and simple opening and closing muscles, while inarticulate brachiopods have untoothed hinges and a more complex system of muscles used to keep the two valves aligned.
How do you distinguish a brachiopod shell from a bivalve shell?
The brachiopod shell has two valves which are unequal in size while the bivalve shell has two valves which are equal in size.
Are Brachiopod fossils valuable?
Because brachiopods were so plentiful during the Paleozoic Era they are common fossils. So generally they are not worth very much. Some species are rare though and so can be worth a good price.
What class is a Brachiopod?
Historically brachiopods have been divided into two classes: Articulata and Inarticulata. This is in reference to how the two shells are joined. In the Articulata a hinge joins the shells together with teeth that fit into sockets. The Inarticulata have a complex of muscles to hold the shells together.
Where did the Brachiopod come from?
Brachiopods are marine animals that secrete a shell consisting of two parts called valves. Their fossils are common in the Pennsylvanian and Permian limestones of eastern Kansas.
How can you tell a brachiopod from a bivalve?
If you were to separate their two halves (or your two hands), each side perfectly mirrors the other, even though the shell shape itself might not be symmetrical. Bivalves are often described as having left and right valves. Brachiopods have a plane of symmetry that cuts across the two valves.
What class is a brachiopod?
Where are Brachiopod fossils found?
Brachiopods are one of most common fossils found in the Pennsylvanian rocks in eastern Kansas. They are also common in the younger Permian rocks. However, in spite of their abundance in many Cretaceous rocks worldwide, brachiopods are almost never found in the Cretaceous rocks of Kansas.
