Africa Wild

My latest addition:

Polished Stromatolite
Precambian. This specimen estimated between 2.2 & 2.4 billion years ago
Bolivia
12cm x 10 cm

Stromatolites are the earliest fossil record of life on earth
There is a bit of controversy. The earliest recorded one from Australia is 3.48 billion years. Another record is even older - 3.7 billion years from Greenland however there is doubt as to whether this is organic or geologic in origin.

Stromatolites are a photosynthesising cyanobacteria which (when alive) are found in shallow, warm saline water. Either forming flat sheets or more often dome shaped mounds. As a layer of bacteria multiplies it incorporates grains of sand around the mucus on their bodies slowly forming the layer upon layer.
The very early prehistoric Stromatolites are thought to have contributed significantly to the oxygenation pf the Earth's atmosphere.

Modern Stromatolites are still alive today, most famously in Shark Bay, Australia.

Not a great photo. Doesn't do it justice.

Dzombs!

Very informative!

Richprins wrote: ↑Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:58 pm Dzombs!

Very informative!

Thanks
This hobby has gotten "slightly" out of control.
I started with collecting fish, then plants, then started adding amber. And now the stromatolites.
With the odd Trilobite and Ammonite too

Sounds quite Biblical!

Richprins wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2019 8:37 am Sounds quite Biblical!

The prehistoric tribes of the desert

I have just ordered another 2 pieces. (stromatolites)
Went online. Searched a few fossil supplies. A few clicks on the computer. And I should have them by the end of next week.
Too easy

Another Bolivian Stromatolite
11cm

Looks very plant-like!