sedimentary
Fossilized Gastropod in Limestone
Gastropoda (Class) in Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
Hardness: 3 (limestone matrix); Color: Off-white, grey, tan; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Structure: Spiral/Planispiral shell mold; Cleavage: None/Irregular
- Hardness
- 3 (limestone matrix)
- Color
- Off-white, grey, tan
- Luster
- Dull/Earthy
Identified More sedimentary →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 3 (limestone matrix); Color: Off-white, grey, tan; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Structure: Spiral/Planispiral shell mold; Cleavage: None/Irregular
Formation & geological history
Formed in shallow marine environments where snails were buried by calcium carbonate sediment. Most common from the Paleozoic to Mesozoic eras (65 to 500 million years ago).
Uses & applications
Educational purposes, scientific research (paleontology), and personal fossil collections.
Geological facts
Gastropods are one of the few groups of animals that have successfully transitioned from marine life to freshwater and terrestrial environments.
Field identification & locations
Look for distinctive spiral coils or 'snail-like' shapes embedded in sedimentary layers. Common in limestone quarries, road cuts, and creek beds.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Cone-in-cone structure (Limestone)
Cone-in-cone structure (Secondary Sedimentary Structure)
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite (primarily SiO2)
sedimentary
Chert Breccia
Brecciated Chert (Microcrystalline Silica)
sedimentary
Sandstone Grain
Clastic Sedimentary Rock Grain (SiO2 dominated)
sedimentary
Shale or Slaty Mudstone
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary