Horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura) have a long evolutionary history starting in the Ordovician, but the number of species is relatively low.
Read More from A non-marine horseshoe crab from the Middle Triassic (Anisian)
Horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura) have a long evolutionary history starting in the Ordovician, but the number of species is relatively low.
Read More from A non-marine horseshoe crab from the Middle Triassic (Anisian)
Cold seeps are spots in the oceans where fluids such as methane and hydrogen sulfide escape from the bottom of the ocean into the water column.
Trackways of ancient animals inhabiting a swampy area during the coal-age in what is now northern Alabama have been known for nearly a century, but they were nearly forgotten for a long time.
Read More from Major fossil footprint donation to paleontology collection
Alabama has a fantastic fossil record and many important fossils have been discovered by avocational (amateur/hobby) paleontologists. In 2020, a new award was created by the University of Alabama Museums honoring an avocational paleontologist who has made substantial contributions to paleontology in Alabama.
Read More from George Martin receives the Alabama Avocational Paleontologist Award
Visit the Alabama Museum of Natural History on October 15 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM for a free event to celebrate National Fossil Day and the scientific and educational value of paleontology and the importance of preserving fossils for future generations! Join us for a National Fossil Day celebration focused on Alabama’s fossil heritage!
On August 19th, a new article on a fossil turtle from the Alabama Museum of Natural History collection was published.
Last month, Dr. Adiel Klompmaker (UA Museums’ Curator of Paleontology) and Dr. Cristina Robins (a UA Museums’ Research Associate) participated in the 8th Symposium on Fossil Decapod Crustaceans organized in Zaragoza, Spain.
Alabama has an incredibly rich fossil record, with most geological periods since the start of the Phanerozoic about 540 million years ago represented on the surface. When rocks and sediments are exposed, fossils can often be found.
Read More from Donation of the Keith Jacobi fossil collection
Squat lobsters of the Galatheoidea superfamily live in all oceans today, from shallow waters to depths of thousands of meters, and from hot hydrothermal vents to cold waters in the polar regions. The number of extant species is currently ~1,300 species, many of which are truly colorful.
The evolutionary history of hermit crabs (Paguroidea) has been unraveling over the last 15 years.
Read More from Most diverse, oldest fauna of hermit crabs discovered