fossil
Fossilized Brachiopod Shell
Order Spiriferida (likely)
Hardness: 3-4 (calcite composition), Color: Grey/White/Tan, Luster: Dull/Earthy, Ribbed or costate surface texture, Bilateral symmetry across the valve.
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3-4 (calcite composition), Color: Grey/White/Tan, Luster: Dull/Earthy, Ribbed or costate surface texture, Bilateral symmetry across the valve.
Formation & geological history
Formed via permineralization or recrystallization of marine organisms from the Paleozoic or Mesozoic eras (approx. 50-400 million years old) in shallow marine sedimentary environments.
Uses & applications
Educational study, specimen collecting, and historical geological record keeping.
Geological facts
Brachiopods look like clams but are biologically distinct; they filter feed using a lophophore. They were one of the most abundant life forms in Earth's oceans before the Permian-Triassic extinction.
Field identification & locations
Identified by their symmetrical valves and distinct ribbing. Commonly found in limestone or shale outcrops in the Midwestern United States and UK.
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