Fossil Collecting on the Jurassic Coast

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Fossil Collecting on the Jurassic Coast
Introduction The purpose of this presentation is
to pass along the knowledge gained in the field
from the research conducted during the two week
field geology course conducted on the Jurassic
Coast of England.
Fossil Collecting on the Jurassic Coast By Nels
J. Parvi Field Geology, TESC 417

• by Nels J. ParviField Geology,
• TESC 417

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Geology of the Jurassic Coast
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Materials Methods

• Equipment needed geologists hammer, hard hat,
  eye protection, hand lens, wear proper clothing
  for location/weather.
• Good to have Wrapping material, camera, notebook
  pen, backpack, cell phone

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What to do next Two methods -

• Beachcombing basically walk around staring at
  the ground
• Rock breaking break parts of the cliff away, or
  look for flat gray sedimentary rocks and break
  them open

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Results
ammonites

• bivalves

Trace fossils
crinoid (l), echinoid (r)
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Old Harry Rocks
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Fossils that may be found at Old Harry Rocks

• belemnites, echinoids, corals, ammonites, and
  bivalves
• Old Harry Rocks are actually made up of
  microscopic fossils, called coccoliths

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Durlston Country Park

• 24 separate species of fish in the Middle Purbeck
  strata
• reptiles, to include dwarf crocodiles and
  dinosaurs
• shark teeth
• mammals
• echinoids, bivalves, and trace fossils.

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Kimmeridge Bay fossils

• dinosaurs, ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs,
  crocodiles, turtles and tortoises, ammonites, and
  bivalves

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Kimmeridge Bay

• bivalves

ammonites
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Lulworth Cove fossils

• Ammonites and nautiloids, sponges, bivalves,
  fish, echinoids, gastropods, bivalves, ostracods,
  arthropods, dinosaurs, charophytes, various
  plants, and trace fossils

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Lulworth Cove strata
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Lulworth Cove fossils
Oysters?
bivalve found in Greensand
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The Fossil Forest

• stromatolites, the remnants of a richly forested
  peninsula covered over by rising seas.

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Charmouth fossils

• ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, ammonites, bivalves,
  crinoids, nautiloids, brachiopods, fish, various
  plants, dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and trace fossils

Mr. Sam Scriven
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Charmouth beach fossils
Belemnites
Ammonite
Ammonite
Ammonites
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Charmouth rock fossils

• If youre lucky the fossil is evident along the
  edge of the rock

ammonites
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Lyme Regis fossils

• Ammonites and nautiloids, sponges, bivalves,
  fish, echinoids, gastropods, bivalves, ostracods,
  arthropods, dinosaurs, charophytes, various
  plants, and trace fossils

ammonites
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Lyme Regis
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West Bay fossils

• ammonites, belemnites, oysters, and trace fossils

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Conclusion

• overall a huge success
• take care of your fossils
• be careful be safe

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References

• Thanks to all of the students and professors,
  especially those that unwittingly provided
  pictures that I stole for my project (you know
  who you are).
• Mr. Scriven recommends The Ecology of Fossils,
  edited by WS McKerrow
• Dr. Ian Wests website deserves special
  recognition and consideration. It is quite
  extensive and proved to be invaluable to this
  research. It is available at http//www.soton.ac.
  uk/imw/index.htm
• Jurassic Coast website available at
  http//www.jurassiccoast.com/index.jsp

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