FOSSILS

DISCOVER SOME ITEMS FROM THE IMMENSE COLLECTION OF FOSSILS

Tapejaridae, Original Source: Curadoria Museu de Ciências da Terra
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Painel Pterossauros, From the collection of: Earth Science Museum
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PTEROSSAURO TAPEJARIDAE FOSSIL

AUSTROPOSEIDON MAGNIFICUS, From the collection of: Earth Science Museum
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AUSTROPOSEIDON, From the collection of: Earth Science Museum
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CERVICAL FOSSIL OF THE BIGGEST DINOSAUR FOUNDED IN BRAZIL

DicynodontOriginal Source: Curadoria Museu de Ciências da Terra

The origin of the Earth Sciences Museum's paleontology collection dates back to the creation, in 1907, of the Geological and Mineralogical Service of Brazil. 

Photo: Dicinodont

TitanosaurOriginal Source: SALGADO, L.; CARVALHO, I. S., Uberabatitan ribeiroi, a new titanosaur from the Marília Formation (Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous). Palaeontology, v.51, n.4, p.881-901. 2008. / ROMER, A. S. Osteology of the Reptiles. Chicago. Chicago University Press, p.772, 1956. / POWELL, J. E. Revisión de los titanosáuridos de América del Sur. 1986. 493f. Tésis (Doutorado em Geografia) – Faculdade de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina, 1986. Unpublished.

Currently, it is recognized as one of the oldest and most complete paleontological collections in Brazil.

Photo: Titanosaur

Bradypus slothOriginal Source: Curadoria Museu de Ciências da Terra

A reference in paleontology, this collection is made up of specimens collected in several geological-paleontological expeditions carried out across the country and has fossils from all Brazilian regions.

Photo: Sloth

Bonefish Diplomystus humilis Eocene USA 2Original Source: "Peixes Ósseos" em Só Biologia. Virtuous Tecnologia da Informação, 2008-2022.

The paleontology collection consists of five main sub-collections: Paleobotany, Invertebrates, Fish, Reptiles and Mammals. 

Photo: Bone fish

Mastodon tooth - Notiomastodon platensis Pleistocene MGOriginal Source: Curadoria do Museu de Ciências da Terra

The Paleontology Sector is responsible for the maintenance and dissemination of this collection and has provided material for monographs, dissertations and academic theses, in addition to assisting researchers from various parts of Brazil and the world.

Photo: Mastodont tooth

Cedrela campbeli, Pliocene Fonseca BasinOriginal Source: (Gorceix, 1884; Lima & Salard-Cheboldaeff, 1981)

Fossils are the remains or evidence of naturally preserved animals or plants. They range from the bones of huge dinosaurs to tiny plants or animals that can only be seen under a microscope.

Photo: Cedrela Campbeli

Trilobite Triarthrus becki ventral viewOriginal Source: Moore 1959 (Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part O, Arthropoda 1, including Trilobitomorpha) and Whittington et al 1997 (Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology; Part O, Arthropoda 1, Trilobita, Revised, Volume I: Introduction.

Fossils can be of various types, they can be very large bones, or very small fragments, they can be nails, scales, teeth or they can be tracks, footprints or plants.

Photo: Trilobita Triarthrus

Nautiloid Cimomia pernambucensisOriginal Source: Curadoria Museu de Ciências da Terra

For an animal, plant or its traces to become a fossil, the material must be quickly buried, that is, covered by soil, as this protects the rest or trace from destruction caused by the environment or by other animals.

Photo: Nautiloide Cimomia

Fossil trunkOriginal Source: H. Akahane, T. Furuno, H. Miyajima, T. Yoshikawa, S. Yamamoto, Rapid wood silicification in hot spring water: an explanation of silicification of wood during the Earth’s history, Sediment. Geol. 169 (2004) 219–228. doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2004.06.003. A.L. Karowe, T.H. Jefferson, Burial of trees by eruptions of Mount St Helens, Washington:implications for the interpretation of fossil forests, Geol. Mag. 124 (2009) 191. doi:10.1017/S001675680001623X.

Fossilization can happen in many environments, but the place where the best preservation occurs is the calm waters at the bottom of lakes and oceans.

Photo: Fossil trunk

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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