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Home , Ampyx (trilobite), Ogyginus

ENGLISH FOREIGN FOSSILS COLLECTION INFORMATION SHEET 1 (CASES 213-223; 246-257)

The Foreign Fossils Collection consists of some 6000 specimens, of which almost 900 are on display. The collection was created between the mid 19th and early 20th centuries, and is of great historical interest since most of the specimens come from famous or vanished sites. The collection is displayed in chronological order starting from the earliest period, the (about 542 million years ago), until reaching the Quaternary, the most recent period.

CASE 214 CASE 218 CASE 221 PALAEOZOIC- PALAEOZOIC- PALAEOZOIC-

The fossil remains of extinct This fossil reveals aspects of Like all other , the Although the morphology of This specimen is notable Notable among the material organisms have been found behaviour, with had an exoskeleton. this specimen resembles among the representatives of from the Carboniferous and from throughout the several individuals of the In order to grow, they were that of a trilobite, it is in fact a the kingdom Plantae because (cases 221, 222 Palaeozoic Era, which spans same appearing in a obliged to shed this external different . The it belongs to one of the oldest and 223) are these speci- the Cambrian (542 million line, one behind another. This carapace to allow a larger taxonomic affinity of this genera of plants in existence. mens from localities in the years ago) to the Permian (250 gregarious behaviour might onetodevelop.These organism has been debated Vascular plants first appea- German regions of million years ago). Some of the be associated with moulting discarded exoskeletons are ever since it was discovered, red, diversified and spread in Westphalia and Thuringia taxonomic phyla and classes or breeding periods, or with called exuviae. Trilobites and it was originally the Devonian, and subse- that have been used to define exhibited here still have extant eating habits or way of life. moulted several times during interpreted as a polyplacop- quently predominated among the systems or stages known representatives, but others do their lifetime, and thus horan mollusc (chitons). The thelandplants. as the Westphalian (Late not. Such is the case of the Ampyxcf. priscus. exuviae are relatively main difference between the Carboniferous) and trilobites. These formed the Ordovician (485 million years common in the fossil record. trilobites and Duslia is the Relimia hostimense. Thuringian (Middle Permian). most highly diversified and ago). latter's absence of the Middle Devonian (380 million Consequently, these geographically dispersed Akka (Morocco). Isotelus maximus. posterior part of the years ago). specimens provide reference group of arthropods during the Maximum dimension: 15 cm. Late Ordovician (445 million exoskeleton, called the Prague (Czech Republc). material for study because Palaeozoic. This specimen is years ago). pygidium. Maximum dimension: 9 cm. they come from what are notable for its large size. Giant Ohio (United States of known as type localities. trilobites from Arouca can America) Duslia insignis. measure up to 70 cm in Maximum dimension: 14 cm. Late Ordovician (445 million Pecopteris sp. length, although in general years ago). Late Carboniferous (325 they are rarely more than 10 Morocco. million years ago). cm long. Maximum dimension: 7.5 cm. Westphalia (German). Maximum dimension: 7 cm. Ogyginus? forteyi. Ordovician (470 million years ago). Geominero Arouca (Portugal). eo Instituto Geológico y Minero de España Maximum dimension: 40 cm. ENGLISH FOREIGN FOSSILS COLLECTION INFORMATION SHEET 1 (CASES 213-223; 246-257)

WALL DISPLAY CASE 246 WALL DISPLAY CASE 248 CASE 254 CASE 255 MESOZOIC-TRIASSIC MESOZOIC-JURASSIC CENOZOIC-EOCENE CENOZOIC-EOCENE

Displayed on the wall is an Several lineages of aquatic Replica of an ichthyosaur One of the groups of marine This case contains several The Eocene deposits in the extraordinary example of a reptiles existed during the specimen (marine reptile). organisms that existed during fossils from Antarctica, and Paris Basin (France) are crinoid. Also known as “sea Mesozoic, but the vast This locality has also yielded the Mesozoic has left more specifically from among the most important lilies”, crinoids are the earliest majority of them disappeared other marine reptiles such as abundant fossil remains. This Seymour Island, located on Cenozoic deposits worldwide, known echinoderms and still at the end of the . plesiosaurs, as well as very was the Ammonoidea, a group the northern tip of Graham due to the abundance and have living representatives Keichosaurus hui was a small common invertebrates in of cephalopod molluscs Land, in the western Antarctic excellent state of preservation today. This specimen is from marine reptile (15-30 cm in Jurassic seas, such as similar to present day squid Peninsula. The first fossils of the specimens. The Foreign the German Triassic and is in length) that lived during the ammonites or complete and cuttlefish. This ammonite were discovered there in Fossils Collection includes an exceptional state of Triassic (250-205 million crinoid colonies. Due both to is in an excellent state of 1882. Since then, numerous nearly 1,000 specimens from preservation, conserving the years ago). It belongs to the its physical characteristics preservation, still conserving palaeontological surveys localities within this unique entire stem, which bears the same group as the plesio- and habits, Stenopterygius the nacre on its outer shell. It have been conducted on the area, such as Grignon, crown at one end and saurs, large marine reptiles resembles present day is thought that the island, and these have Fontainebleau and Cuise. This attaches the organism to the with a long neck. Some dolphins. It inhabited the open ammonoids had very thin, contributed to our understan- case contains numerous seas and is known to have fed seabed at the other. It is specimens of this species organic shells, and thus they ding of global cooling during fossils found at these sites, on fish and cephalopods composed of numerous have been found with are rarely preserved. the Eocene, a process that primarily bivalve molluscs and because the stomach ossicles or platelets that are embryos inside, which culminated with the onset of gastropods. contents have been preserved stacked one on top of another Antarctic glaciation. Most of suggests that they were in some fossils. Thanks to the Perisphinctes sp. and often fall apart when the viviparous, as were other discovery of the fossil of a Late Jurassic (154 million the specimens displayed Clavilithes parisienses. dies, so its preserva- extinct marine reptiles such female ichthyosaur giving years ago). here are marine bivalve Eocene (46 million years ago). tion is very rare. as the ichthyosaurs and birth, we also know that they Túlear (Madagascar). molluscs, but there is also a Cuise (France). mosasaurs. were viviparous and delivered Maximum dimension: 16 cm. gastropod and a trace fossil Maximum dimension: 7 cm. Encrinus liliiformis. their offspring tail rather than of bioturbation, all in a Middle Triassic (245 million Keichousaurus hui. head first, as do present day perfect state of preservation. years ago). Middle Triassic (245 million cetaceans. Cucullaea sp. Alverdissen (Germany). years ago). Guizhu (China). Stenopterygius quadriscissus. Eocene (46 million years Maximum dimension: 90 cm. Maximum dimension: 22 cm. Early Jurassic (187 million ago). years ago). Antarctic. Holzmaden (Germany). Maximum dimension: 9 cm. Maximum dimension: 180cm.