CONTENTS

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I FOSSILS ARE WHERE YOU FIND THEM

1 FANTASTIC FOSSILS

2 HOW ARE FOSSILS FORMED?

3 WHAT KINDS OF ROCKS YIELD FOSSILS?

4 WHERE DO YOU FIND FOSSILS?

5 DATING FOSSILS

6 COLLECTING FOSSILS

BADLANDS

7 COLLECTING FOSSILS

BEACHES

8 COLLECTING FOSSILS

QUARRIES AND ROADCUTS

9 THE CRUCIAL STEP

COLLECTING DATA

II IDENTIFYING YOUR FOSSILS

10 WHAT’S IN A NAME?

11 PHYLUM PORIFERA

SPONGES AND THEIR RELATIVES

12 PHYLUM CNIDARIA (COELENTERATES)

SEA JELLIES, SEA ANEMONES, AND CORALS

13 PHYLUM BRACHIOPODA

BRACHIOPODS, OR LAMP SHELLS

14 PHYLUM BRYOZOA

BRYOZOANS, OR MOSS ANIMALS

15 PHYLUM ARTHROPODA

TRILOBITES AND THEIR RELATIVES

16 PHYLUM MOLLUSCA

CLAMS, SNAIL, SQUIDS, AND THEIR RELATIVES

17 PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA

SEA STARS, SEA URCHINS, AND THEIR RELATIVES

18 PHYLUM HEMICHORDATA

GRAPTOLITES

19 PHYLUM CHORDATA

FISH, AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, BIRDS, AND MAMMALS

20 PALEOBOTANY

FOSSIL PLANTS

INDEX