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Oklahoma is rich in fossils. They can be found in many parts of the state and common fossils can be fun to collect and study. LIFE ON EARTH The Earth is about 4.6 billion years old. The oldest fossils have been found in rocks that are about 3.8 billion years old. Life on Earth is grouped into at least five major divisions, called Kingdoms: the Monera (Bacteria and their relatives; some scientists divide bacteria into three distinct kingdoms), Protista (simple organisms like amoebas and Paramecia), Fungi (mushrooms, lichens and their relatives), Animalia (animals), and Plantae (plants). The oldest fossils are very rare and include Bacteria (Monera) and simple organisms (Protista). These rare fossils, and fossil fungi, are found as tiny remains visible only through a microscope. Most common fossils are of animals and plants. ANIMALS There are slightly more than three million kinds (species) of animals alive on the Earth today. Animals may be divided into two groups: animals without a backbone are called invertebrates and animals with a backbone are called vertebrates. INVERTEBRATES There are about three million kinds of invertebrate animals. This group includes clams, snails, bugs and many others. Invertebrates are the most common animals alive today and are also the most common fossils. VERTEBRATES There are about 100,000 kinds of vertebrate animals. Among this group are people, fish and dinosaurs. Fossils of vertebrate animals are usually rare. PLANTS There are over 300,000 living species of green plants on Earth that have been discovered by botanists. There are probably over 50,000 fossil species of plants that paleobotanists have discovered so far around the world. However only some of those thousands of fossil plants are found in Oklahoma. Here we present a brief introduction to some of the most common fossil plants that one is likely to find along the streams and in the hills and valleys of Oklahoma. WHAT IS A FOSSIL? Fossils are the remains of ancient life. They are most common in rocks called limestone and shale. Limestone is mostly made of the shells of invertebrate animals whereas shale is made of layered mud pressed into thin sheets. WHERE FOSSILS OCCUR IN OKLAHOMA Fossils are found in most counties of Oklahoma, but are most common in eastern and southern counties in the state. Fossils from these areas of Oklahoma range in age from about 500 million years ago to about 85 million years ago.
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Common Fossils of Oklahoma Geologic Time Fossil Images What is a...? |
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