INTRODUCTION TO FOSSILS

Fossils are traces of past life that include body fossils (actual remains of organisms) and trace fossils (indication of animal activity). Bones, teeth, and shells are examples of body fossils, while burrows, tracks, and footprints are examples of trace fossils.

The fossil record shows a sequence of more and more complex organisms through time. One-celled organisms appeared before multi-celled organisms, plants before animals, and invertebrates before vertebrates. Among the vertebrates, fish appeared first, then amphibians, reptiles next, and finally mammals and birds.

The Geologic time scale was developed in Europe, over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.


Geology Time Chart

On the Geology Time Chart, Earth's history is divided into eons, which are subdivided again into eras,and further subdivided into periods and epochs.

Fossils are the recognizable remains, such as bones, shells, or leaves, or other evidence, such as tracks, burrows, or impressions, of past life on Earth. Scientists who study fossils are called paleontologists. The names of most of the eons and eras end in zoic, because these time intervals are often recognized on the basis of animal life.

Rocks formed during the Proterozoic Eon may have fossils of relative simple organisms, such as bacteria, algae, and wormlike animals. Rocks formed during the Phanerozoic Eon may have fossils of complex animals and plants such as dinosaurs, mammals, and trees.

Our Texas mamal fossils come from the Quaternary Period which is subdivided into the Pleistocene and Holocene. The Pleistocene or "Ice Age" includes the events from 1.8 million to about 10,000 years ago.

The Holocene (or Recent) includes the past 10,000 years. Vertebrate paleontologists designate the late Pleistocene (the past 250,000 years) in North America as the Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age.

WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ONLINE; JUST CLICK THE ORDER BUTTON AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SECURE CREDIT CARD PROCESSING PAGE.

Online Catalog of Rocks, Fossils & Crystals for sale

$9.95 Carborundum Crystal, 1 to 2 inches in length CATALOG NO. CRY1 Carborundum Beautiful addition to your rocks and crystals collection- Carborundum Crystal, 1 to 2 inches in length. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$14.95 CATALOG NO. CRY2 Amethyst Crystal Beautiful crystal-Amethyst cluster, approximately 3 to 5 inches in length Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$9.95 CATALOG NO. CRY3 Blue Agate Slab Extra pretty blue Agate Slab, 3 or more inches in diameter; these display beautifully on stands or tilted by the window where they catch the light. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$49.95 CATALOG NO. CRY4 Medicine Bag Medicine Bag containing spiritually-infused crystal medicine Native American made medicine Bag containing spiritually-infused crystal medicine. Great for wearing your own protective medicine. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$69.95 CATALOG NO. FOS1 Polished Ammonite Fossil Beautiful 3-inch Ammonite Fossil Sliced and polished to show the interior chambers. Beautiful addition to your rocks and fossils collection. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$65.00 CATALOG NO. f15 Lower Horse Teeth Lower horse tooth fossil (Equus) from the Pleistocene. These are beautiful specimens standing approximately 3 inches in height. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$125.00 CATALOG NO. f16 Llama Jawbone with Teeth Beautiful specimen (Paloeolama mirifica) of a jawbone with teeth from a Texas llama. This fossil dates back to the Pleistocene epoch. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$125.00 CATALOG NO. f17 Large Trilobyte Beautiful trilobyte in matrix, measuring 4 inches in length (overall rock matrix is 6 inches in length). Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$19.95 CATALOG NO. f2 Trilobite Fossil Beautiful Trilobite, an ancient sea bug that went extinct hundreds of millions of years ago. Great detail. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$69.95 CATALOG NO. f3 MOTHER OF PEARL AMMONITE Another fine ammonite specimen; this one is approximately 2-3/4 in. in diameter and the original calcium shell has been replaced over eons chemically with a mother of pearl coating. Beautiful addition to your fossil collection. Usually ships in 3-5 business days

$89.95 CATALOG NO. f4 fossilized Odontocete whale tooth Great mammal fossile tooth for your fossil collection. This is a 2-1/2 inch fossilized Odontocete whale tooth in nice condition. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$169.95 CATALOG NO. f5 cave bear jawbone with teeth Another hard to find mammal tooth fossil. This spectacular find is a fossilized cave bear jawbone with teeth. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$225.00 CATALOG NO. f6 Petrified Mastadon Tooth Great old Petrified Mastadon Tooth.This is a beauty and in excellent condition. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$325.00 CATALOG NO. f7 sea worm in matrix Museum quality sea worm in matrix, approximately 10 inches across. These are very rare dating back to the upper Cretaceous period. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$225.00 CATALOG NO. f18 Slabbed Ammonite Fossil Beautiful 6-inch Ammonite Fossil Sliced in two halves to show the colorful interior chambers. Beautiful addition to your rocks and fossils collection. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$169.95 CATALOG NO. f8 Oreodont skull in matrix This is another great mammal fossil-an Oreodont skull in matrix, teeth and jawbone clearly visible. Oreodonts who lived in North America during the Oligocene (from about 35-5 million years ago) were quadrupedal ruminants closely related to camels, pigs, and sheep. Most oreodonts were about the size of a dog or a pig. The skull was elongated and the upper canines were chisel shaped; the cheek teeth were used for grinding. Usually ships in 3-5 business days

$39.95 CATALOG NO. f9 Giant Echinoid (sea urchin) This is a great example of the large variety of Echinoid (sea urchin) that once lived in the shallow seas of central Texas. This specimen is over 3 inches in diameter and excellent condition. These are quite rare and went extinct in the upper Cretceous period. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

CATALOG NO. f10 Petrified skull of a small Shark This is the rarest of all fossils and guaranteed to be authentic. This is a complete Petrified skull of a small Shark that was completely enclosed in limestone and carefully taken out of matrix. These are extremely rare because these soft tissues usually decay before fossilization takes place. This rare find came from a gravel bar just southeast of Austin. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$625.00 CATALOG NO. f11 Oreodont Skull fossil Beautiful specimen- Oreodont Skull fossil in great condition. Oreodonts (meaning "mountain tooth") were the most common hoofed herbivorous (plant-eating) mammals in North America during the Oligocene (from about 35-5 million years ago). Oreodonts were quadrupedal ruminants closely related to camels, pigs, and sheep; most oreodonts were about the size of a dog or a pig. The skull was elongated and the upper canines were chisel shaped; the cheek teeth were used for grinding. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$495.00 CATALOG NO. f12 Turtle Fossil This is a beauty- a complete Turtle Fossil approximately 50 million years old found in a creek bed in Nebraska. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$69.95 CATALOG NO.f13 Dentature Clam This central texas treasure, the Dentature Clam, is found only in matrix and requires a great deal of skill and patience to extract. This one was found and prepared by Marvin "Skip" Weir, one of the leading paleontologists in Central Texas. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$225.00 CATALOG NO. f20 Large Ammonite This central texas ammonite, was found in Bell County Texas near Lake Belton. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$95.00 CATALOG NO. f22 Medium Size Ammonite This medium size central texas ammonite, was found in Bell County Texas near Lake Belton. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$79.95 CATALOG NO.FOS14 Exogyra Ponderosa, a surf dwelling clam Exogyra Ponderosa, a surf dwelling clam with heavy shell constuction that lived during the lower cretceous period in the shallow seas of central Texas. These giant clams are over six inches in length. Usually ships in 5-7 business days.

$175.00 CATALOG NO. f19 Giant Size Pelcypod This giant central texas pelcypod, was found in Bell County Texas near Lake Belton. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

$179.00 CATALOG NO. f21 Multiple Bi-Valves in Matrix This great central texas speciman, found in Bell County Texas near Lake Belton, contains multiple bi-valve fossils on all sides. Usually ships in 3-5 business days.

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