Invertebrate Fossils of Arkansas

Fossils are the remains of animals and plants that have once lived on Earth. Types of fossils include preserved skeletal remains of animals, trace fossils such as leaf impressions, tracks, trails, root casts, and burrows, as well as droppings.

Fossils are important to scientists because they provide information about the past and help us understand the evolution of organisms. Different types of fossils provide different types of information. Using rocks and fossils together can help reconstruct what an area looked millions of years ago and how it changed over time. Fossil track ways (footprints) can be used to determine how large an animal was, how it moved, how fast it could run, and how far it could move! Fossil leaf impressions can be used to reconstruct ancient climate as well as past environments.

Fossils are also important to non-scientists. Look at the animals and plants around you today, then look at some fossils. They can look very different and that is amazing. Also, fossils are rare, so it feels good to find one. How can finding the ancient remains of an extinct creature not be cool?!

Animals without backbones. Think along the lines of snails, squid, insects, and coral. They represent 96-97% of all species alive today. They are also highly diverse and abundant in the fossil record dating back millions of years. They are, by far, the most represented specimens within the University of Arkansas Museum fossil collections. This exhibit highlights ones found in Arkansas and housed within the University of Arkansas Museum collections.