Frozen In Time EarthCache
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questions.(DON’T PUT YOUR ANSWERS ALONG WITH YOUR LOG OR IT
WILL DELETED)
1: What is the family that the trilobites belong to? (this is on
sign at trailhead)
2: Why are they located in this area?
3: What are they trapped in? what kind of rock?
4: Describe how they get "frozen in time"?
5: (Optional) Take a picture of yourself or gps at the site or
with
Trilobites were hard shelled, sea dwelling creatures that existed
in ancient seas hundreds of millions of years ago. The species
specific to the site are believed to be the oldest known species,
around 500 million years old. These ancient creatures roamed the
sea floor, and when the seas dried up and relocated, the Trilobites
became fossilized in the mud and hence frozen in time. With the
help of heat and pressure, the mud became shale, which is where you
will find these fossilized creatures.
There are 6 types of trilobites that can be found in the shale
deposits exposed at this site. They have a shell like a horseshoe
crab, jointed legs, compound eyes, and the ability to curl into a
ball like today’s sow bugs. You can find them by looking
along the trail for shale and examine it for fossils you can also
split open larger pieces with a rock hammer. The trail will lead
you to a spot located at the west end of the pit on the east slope
of a knob.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)