Fossils

[croman74]

What time period did rhombopora live in?

[maggymay]

From
http://www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center/p ... ils_05.pdf
(This info is from 2005, the fossil list there is NOT the same as the 2009 one.)

There isn't a lot specific about Rhombopora on the Internet, but they are a Bryozoan. Maybe this will help? Now I realize that I don't know for sure either! Auuuuuuuggggh....

******

Ordovician Period 430-500 Million Years Ago

During the Cambrian Period, the continents were widely separated by deep oceans similar to the
way they are today. As time went on, the oceans became smaller as the continents moved closer
together. The Cambrian ended with the mass extinction of almost 75% of trilobite families and
half of all sponges (Porifera), as well as many gastropods and brachiopods. Perhaps this
extinction was caused by falling water levels that disrupted life in shallow waters.

Mild climates probably covered much of the world during the Ordovician Period. Most
Ordovician rocks are rich in fossils that herald the appearance of the first rugose and
tabulate corals, eurypterids, bryozoans, crinoids, starfishes and jawless fishes.

Mississippian Period 325-345 Million Years Ago

The Mississippian Period was relatively short- only about 20 million years and along with the
Pennsylvanian Periods include the “Carboniferous Period’ marked by the formation of lush,
swampy forests- the fossils of which, would later become the vast coal deposits of eastern and
central North America.

The Mississippian Period is the age of Crinoids and blastoids. Crinoids are filter feeders
needing warm water to produce their skeletons. Foraminiferans and bryozoans were also
abundant. The first seed ferns and belemnoids also appeared during the Mississippian.

Permian Period 225-280 Million Years Ago

The Permian marks the end of the Paleozoic Era with the extinction of 99% of all life at its end.
This mass extinction included rugose corals, trilobites, eurypterids and blastoids. Many
ammonoids, bryozoans, brachiopods, crinoids, amphibians and reptiles were severely decimated.

During the Permian Period, foraminiferans, ammonoids, insects, bryozoans, productid
brachiopods and reptiles were abundant. The first cycads and mammal like reptiles also
appeared.

Cretaceous Period 65 –136 Million Years Ago

The Cretaceous saw the end of the dinosaurs, ammonoids, belemnoids, flying and marine
reptiles. During the Period however, angiosperms, scleractinian corals, gastropods,
bivalves, bryozoans, and dinosaurs were abundant. The first flowering plants
(angiosperms) and primates appeared during the Cretaceous. The mass extinction of
dinosaurs, corals, crinoids, and foraminiferans may have been due to the impact of a large
meteorite, whose impact would have led to a deterioration of the climate following the
ejection of dust into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight and destroying the food supply.

[courage7856]

Does anyone have a good idea about information about adaptations and morphological features of fossil groups? Regionals is a week away, and that's the only thing left I really need in this event, as far as I know. I think I covered all of the other major topics.

[danger will robinson]

I am hoping someone can help me . . .

I gave my students this old practice Fossil test

http://bsmsscienceolympiad.wikispaces.c ... l+2004.pdf

It was an old one I had in my files . . . but I don't have a key for it. Does anyone have a key for this particular test?

Thanks!

Jeff Webb
jwebb@hudson.k12.mi.us

Even though you don't have the key, I'd use it anyway because those tests are invaluble. The next best thing to having a key is having the kids take the test with just their binders and then let them go online/look in lots of books to find the answers. Then save their key for the team next year.

[Bella_Swan77]

Does anybody know any good sites to get practice tests off of???

THANX 4 THE HELP

[croman74]

Here's one:
http://www.virginiaso.com/eventinfo.html
I don't think that they have the answer key for it. I couldn't find it. But at least it's something.

[Bella_Swan77]

thanx

[RightorRong]

I do not like fossils, yet I have a first place medal in fossils. I think if I competed in state I would fail. The regional test was really easy. There was only some identification, mineral components of the skeletons, and some rocks. The Division B test and the Division C test might have been the same. The state test is going to be much harder.

[oh joy]

What are the distinct differences between a tyrannosaurus and an allosaurus??

[blufoster6]

the tyrannosaurus has a thicker jaw than the allosaurus. thats how i've been able to distinguish the two.