Our Sea Creature Mystery
While we do not have oceans here in Indiana now, millions of years ago Indiana was covered by a sea. These tiny creatures who lived there were invertebrates and lived in tiny, pin-sized pores which can sometimes be seen in smooth, ridged, or bumpy surfaces. They lived in colonies, much like corals.
Do you know the name of this ancient sea creature? There is an area very near here where these and other ancient creatures can be easily gathered. When you identify this creature, I will add a link where you can learn more these creatures and that area.
From the Gorge,
Mrs. Newton
posted by Mrs. Newton @ Monday, March 20, 2006
4 Comments:
Okay. I'm stumped. I thought this was coral.
To help me, I sent the pieces to Australia where some young fossil scientists are going to figure this out. I hope they can tell us something about this ancient sea creature.
Can you help us Riverlands students?????
Ron
We hope that other Hoosiers will submit mysteries as well and that we will hear from our Aussie friends soon.
Those fossils are keeping us searching and researching - so far the only one we think we have a name for is the crinoid stem - we found some similar to these while on camp at the Irvin River Coal Seam near Geralton in Western Australia. We will keep trying to solve the mystery for you!
There is one fossil that we wish we could send you called a stromatolite - these are found at many palces on the coast of Western Australia and are thought to be the oldest fossils on earth - unfortunately we are not allowed to remove them from their beach locations. Here are two web links about them.
http://www.sharkbay.org/terrestial_enviroment/page_15.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s69379.htm
We do so love your blogging site Mrs Newton and have just told our friends at Exmouth to join in your mysteries as well - their school is located right near the famous Ningaloo Reef - hopefully they will start sending you some marine challenges as well!
Look how beautiful it is up north
where they live!
http://www.discoverwest.com.au/western_australia/ningaloo_reef.html
Happy holidays from
the Upper Primary students at Riverlands School, Perth. Australia
Dear River Rats,
I am glad you are enjoying the blog. Wow, I had never heard of stromatolites! I did look at the web sites you sent along. It is hard for me to imagine the beauty of where these are located. My fossils are along a small waterfall area along a gorge. I find the fossils in the rocky hillsides.I will go there next week and get a photo for you. Until then, go to http://www.waynet.org/facts/gorge_fossils.htm to find out more about our fossils.
I do so hope that your friends in Exmouth also join us.
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