Articles

What can we learn about an extinct animal from a single tooth? For example, a dinosaur. Many people believe that paleontologists often speculate when they describe in detail the appearance and lifestyle of these ancient reptiles based on a single find—such as a tooth. Even avid enthusiasts of paleontology sometimes doubt how so much information can be gleaned from such a small bone.

Anyone with an interest in paleontology is likely familiar with the concepts of fossilization and fossils themselves, also known as remains or petrified objects. Fossilization is a complex of physical and chemical processes that transform living organisms into fossils. It’s no secret that fossilization takes thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years. But let’s delve deeper into this topic to understand the processes involved, the conditions required, and the unique fossils we can discover.

Long ago, around 100 million years ago, the Western Interior Seaway stretched to the east of the Rocky Mountains on the American continent. Where taiga and prairies now extend, salty sea waves were once driven by the wind, and the depths beneath them teemed with ancient life. Schools of fish hunted cephalopods known as belemnites. Larger fish, including ancient sharks, competed with six-meter-long Xiphactinus for prey. But even these predators met their demise in the jaws of pliosaurs, enormous marine reptiles. The era of reptiles was nearing its end, but for now, pliosaurs with short necks and powerful jaws, graceful long-necked elasmosaurs, and various marine crocodiles enjoyed their dominance in the seas. In this dangerous world lived our heroes—the ammonites. 

Our story today is about trilobites, and the curious reader will learn much about their habits and history.

Trilobites are a class of marine arthropods that were widespread in the Paleozoic seas and became extinct at the end of the Permian period. Among living creatures, their closest relatives are horseshoe crabs, although they are only distantly related to these ancient beings.

Trilobites attract the attention of many—paleontologists, evolutionary biologists, collectors, and filmmakers alike. They represent an incredibly successful evolutionary group. Despite maintaining a consistent body plan, trilobites managed to occupy numerous ecological niches and thrived for over 300 million years.

Today, we will set aside the usual study of fossils and computer reconstructions. To get to know the protagonists of our story, we will travel back in time to the Silurian period.

Fossil collecting is an art with its own intricacies and nuances, one of which is pricing. Today, we’ll delve into how Megalodon teeth are classified for commercial use.

Megalodon teeth are classified into four categories based on their state of preservation: non-collectible, commercial, collectible, and museum-grade.