Many fossils are embedded in rock.
Fossils are an intriguing reminder of generations past and activities that occurred that shaped the planet we live on today. Fossils tell a lot about the earth's history and changes throughout time. Alabama boasts several archaeological sites from different time periods, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, and it has shell beds, trace fossils, plant fossils and sea fossils.
Sea Fossils
The most famous of Alabama's sea fossils is the Basilosaurus cetoides or the Eocene whate, the state fossil of Alabama since 1984. The name Basilosaurus means "king lizard." According to a University of Berkeley paper on whales and dolphins, the name was a mistaken reference to what was originally thought to be the remains of a giant sea serpent. Eocene whale fossils are found in the rich, dark soils of the Black Belt section of central Alabama.
Other sea fossils in Alabama are crinoids, blastoids and cystoids. Fossils of these sea floor dwellers are located in the limestone and shale rocks of the northern part of the state. The heads can be found preserved whole.
Plant Fossils
Common plant fossils include petrified wood, ferns, giant horsetails and treelike lycopods. They can be found in all parts of Alabama, particularly in coal mines preserved in shale. These plant fossils are associated with the presence of swamp-like areas during the Pennsylvanian or coal age.
Trace Fossils
Trace fossils are the footprints, trails, burrows and movements made by ancient creatures preserved in stone. Northern Alabama is a rich source of Pennsylvanian-era trace fossils. Fossils of creature activities are found in the sandstone and shale of the region. Trace fossils from this time period record a time when reptiles began to replace amphibians.
Shell Fossils
Shell fossils are found in chalk deposits in the Black Belt region of central Alabama in the form of microfossils. Microfossils are made up of thousands of tiny shells fused together over time. They can be seen with a microscope.
Brachiopods are another common shell fossil found in the rocks of the Piedmont section of east-central Alabama. Brachiopods, from the Cambrian era, are related to modern clams and oysters. They look like seashells and are abundant.
Tags: Black Belt, central Alabama, fossils found, plant fossils, Trace fossils
