fossil

Brachiopod Fossil

Phylum Brachiopoda (likely Order Rhynchonellida or Spiriferida)

Hardness: 3-4 (calcite composition); Color: Tan, beige, or gray; Luster: Dull/earthy; Structure: Bivalved shell with bilateral symmetry across the face of the valve; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture when broken)

Hardness: 3-4 (calcite composition)
Color: Tan, beige, or gray
Luster: Dull/earthy

Identified July 4, 2026More fossil →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in marine environments as biological remains replaced by minerals (permineralization or recrystallization) during the Paleozoic or Mesozoic eras (approx. 500 to 65 million years ago).

Uses & applications

Scientific study, educational tools, and common collector items.

Geological facts

Although they look like clams (mollusks), brachiopods are a distinct phylum. They were incredibly diverse and abundant in Paleozoic oceans before the Permian mass extinction.

Field identification & locations

Identify by radial ribs and a 'lamp shell' shape with one valve usually larger than the other. Commonly found in limestone and shale deposits globally.

Other fossil specimens

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Sedimentary Outcrop (Sandstone/Shale)

Sedimentary bedrock formation (variable composition)

sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone

Fossiliferous Calcilutite / Biomicrite

sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone

Biogenic Limestone with Brachiopod/Crinoid fragments

sedimentary

Fossilized Crinoid Stem in Limestone

Crinoidea (Class) in Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) matrix

fossil

Fossiliferous Limestone

Limestone with embedded fossil cross-section

sedimentary

Fossiliferous Limestone with Crinoid stems

Limestone (CaCO3) containing Crinoidea fossils

sedimentary