|
|
Article: Missouri Fossils.
- Article from:
- Rocks & Minerals
- Article date:
- November 1, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Missouri's diversity in its fossils reflects the great diversity in its geology. Strata ranging from the Precambrian to Pleistocene crop out within the state (Branson 1944), and many of these yield fossils. The fossils are discussed below, proceeding from the geologically oldest to youngest.
Precambrian-Proterozoic Era
The oldest rocks in Missouri, which crop out extensively, are of Precambrian (Proterozoic) age (Unklesbay and Vineyard 1992). These form the geological center of the Ozark uplift and are primarily of igneous origin. Many of these igneous rocks formed from cooling within the earth's crust and do not contain fossils. More than half of ...