The NJMC bird-banding crew had a rare find today — and we’re not talking about the two Nelson’s Sparrows that they banded. We’re referring to the fossil above, found on a rock on the Erie Landfill.
How did it get on the landfill? Who knows.
What kind of fossil? Any help is appreciated. (Thanks, bird-banding crew!)
Easy: it must have been in the trash from a fossilized French restaurant!
It looks like the fossil of a Scallop shell
Fossil shell. Devonian period of the Paleozoic Era. These fossils are commonly found in Sussex County New Jersey and several locations in Pa. The most notable/collectible type of fossil from this period is the Trilobite.
Specifically, it is a brachiopod fossil. Brachiopods are like clams, but they live above the seabed/water interface, rooted into the seabed by a holdfast. Most species of brachiopods are long extinct, but they are a pretty common fossil.
Thanks for all the input. Much appreciated!