Fossils (Inventory)/Gastropod
From LagWiki
The Gastropod field of the Fossils section should be used to record any observation of a fossil gastropod.
Gastropod fossils are characterized by a tapered spiral shell with no internal chambers. Snails are gastropods. They are usually found in exposed bedrock or breakdown and may be obscured in various ways. They could be covered partially or completely by secondary formations and they could be exposed in any direction or in any cross section. They can be flat or more elongated but are always spiraled and tapered somewhat. The spiral is usually in more than one plane.
If a spiral shell impression is found (not a clam or brachiopod) with no internal chambers, it is probably a gastropod. If there are internal chambers, it is probably a cephalopod. If the interior of the shell cannot be seen, a shell with no growth rings or fine, evenly spaced growth rings is probably a gastropod. A shell impression which is spiraled in more than one plane is probably a gastropod.
The size of gastropod fossil impressions can vary.
See also
References
- Palmer, Arthur N. (2007) Cave Geology CAVE BOOKS, Dayton, OH pp 71-72 ISBN-13: 978-0-939748-66-2, ISBN-10: 0-939748-66-5
- Coleman, Mary Carol and Cameron Coleman (2010) Fossils of Guadalupe Mountains National Park Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association pp 20-22, http://www.ccgma.org
