Virtual Fossils from 425 Million-year-old Volcanic Ash

More than a decade ago, we found a diverse, well-preserved assemblage of largely soft-bodied fossils from the Silurian Period, which followed the Ordovician. Because they are from a typical marine setting, these remarkable fossils provide important insights into the early evolution of life in the oc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American scientist 2008-12, Vol.96 (6), p.474-481
Main Authors: Briggs, Derek E G, Siveter, Derek J, Siveter, David J, Sutton, Mark D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Fossils
Time capsules
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Summary:More than a decade ago, we found a diverse, well-preserved assemblage of largely soft-bodied fossils from the Silurian Period, which followed the Ordovician. Because they are from a typical marine setting, these remarkable fossils provide important insights into the early evolution of life in the ocean. Many more fossils remain to be described: sponges, worms, a diversity of arthropods (including a trilobite with preserved appendages), more brachiopods, mollusks and echinoderms, and, perhaps most exciting, a number of enigmatic forms that we cannot yet identify.
ISSN:0003-0996
1545-2786
DOI:10.1511/2008.75.474