FOSSILS SPECIMEN: BRYOZOA

Fossils are defined as any evidence of prehistoric life. There are two types of fossils: Body Fossils include remains of skeletal bones, shell, carapace, test and teeth. Trace Fossils are clues the organism existed such as foot prints, tracks, burrows and coprolites (fossil dung).

The phylum Bryozoa means “tiny animals” due to the size of the animals that occupy the porses in the fossil structures. Although they have different external structures, Bryozoans are thought to be closely related to Brachiopods. Another one of their evolutionaly advancements were the development of a U-shaped gut.

Domian: Eukarya: Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Brozoa

Lower Ordovician to Holocene

Bryozoa Fenestella

Pennsylvanian

(Upper Carboniferous)

west Mineral Wells roadcut Palo Pinto County, Texas

Bryozoa Archimedes Screw

Paleozoic

North America

Bryozoa Ramose

Paleozoic

North America