ClipArt ETC

The Paleontology ClipArt gallery offers 87 illustrations of the study of ancient life, particularly through an examination of the fossil record.

A mollusk radiate from the Paleozoic time, Ambonychia bellistriata.

Ambonychia Mollusk

A mollusk radiate from the Paleozoic time, Ambonychia bellistriata.

Sigillaria is the generic name assigned to this ancient arborescent lycopod. Occassionally the trunks were smooth. Extinct genus of tree-sized lycopsids from the Carboniferous Period (about 360 to 300 million years ago) that are related to modern club mosses. Sigillaria had a single or sparsely branched trunk characterized by a slender strand of wood and thick bark.

Sigillaria, An Ancient Tree

Sigillaria is the generic name assigned to this ancient arborescent lycopod. Occassionally the trunks…

"Annularia. A fossil plant allied to the Calamites." -Taylor, 1904

Annularia

"Annularia. A fossil plant allied to the Calamites." -Taylor, 1904

Paradoxides was a genus of relatively large trilobites, extinct marine arthropods, that form the class Trilobita found throughout the world during the Mid Cambrian period (540 million years ago). It was a moderately large trilobite with a semicircular head, free cheeks each ending with a long, narrow, recurved spine, and relatively large eyes. Its elongated trunk was composed of 20 segments and again was adorned with longish, recurved lateral spines. Its pygidium(caudal shield) was comparatively small and had one or two pairs of long spines on the posterior margin.

Paradoxides Harlani

Paradoxides was a genus of relatively large trilobites, extinct marine arthropods, that form the class…

An articulate radiate from the Paleozoic time, Homalonotus delphinocephalus.

Articulate Radiate

An articulate radiate from the Paleozoic time, Homalonotus delphinocephalus.

An articulate radiate from the Paleozoic time, Orthoceras junceum.

Orthoceras Articulate

An articulate radiate from the Paleozoic time, Orthoceras junceum.

An ancient articulate from the Paleozoic time, Pacops bufo from the Hamilton group.

Pacops Articulate

An ancient articulate from the Paleozoic time, Pacops bufo from the Hamilton group.

"Vertical section of Fruit of Calamite, magnified." -Taylor, 1904

Calamite Fruit

"Vertical section of Fruit of Calamite, magnified." -Taylor, 1904

"Transverse section of Fruit of Calamite, magnified." -Taylor, 1904

Calamite Fruit

"Transverse section of Fruit of Calamite, magnified." -Taylor, 1904

Modern Foraminiferal types - Calcarina

Calcarina

Modern Foraminiferal types - Calcarina

Calceola sandalina.

Calceola sandalina

Calceola sandalina.

"Teeth and Scales of Carboniferous Fish." -Taylor, 1904

Carboniferous Fish Fossils

"Teeth and Scales of Carboniferous Fish." -Taylor, 1904

The continents during this age consisted mainly of large, flat, marshy areas, covered with luxuriant vegetation.

Carboniferous Landscape

The continents during this age consisted mainly of large, flat, marshy areas, covered with luxuriant…

"Ideal landscape of the Carboniferous Period." -Taylor, 1904

Carboniferous Landscape

"Ideal landscape of the Carboniferous Period." -Taylor, 1904

Thin sections of chalk as seen under the microscope.

Sections of Chalk

Thin sections of chalk as seen under the microscope.

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Chrysalidina gradata. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Chrysalidina Gradata

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Chrysalidina gradata. These shells are mostly very small,…

Chain-coral (Halysites catenulatus).

Chain-Coral

Chain-coral (Halysites catenulatus).

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Cuneolina pavonia. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Cuneolina Pavonia

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Cuneolina pavonia. These shells are mostly very small,…

Distortions of fossils from uplifting: 1) natural form of the shell Spirifer disjunctus (1-4), 2) shortened one-half, 3) shortened above the middle and lengthened below it, 4) upper pressed, lower drawn out, 5) like 3, 6) similar cleavage-plane, 7) lower part prolonged, 8) natural form of Spirifer giganteus (5-8).

Distortion of Fossils

Distortions of fossils from uplifting: 1) natural form of the shell Spirifer disjunctus (1-4), 2) shortened…

"Fossil Oolitic fish tooth…section of tooth magnified." -Taylor, 1904

Fish Tooth Fossil

"Fossil Oolitic fish tooth…section of tooth magnified." -Taylor, 1904

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Flabellina rugosa. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Flabellina rugosa

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Flabellina rugosa. These shells are mostly very small,…

"Fossil Foraminifera (Nummulites) in limestone." -Thomson, 1916

Foraminifera

"Fossil Foraminifera (Nummulites) in limestone." -Thomson, 1916

When the remains of an animal or plant are exposed to the air or buried in dry earth, they generally decompose and pass off almost entirely as gasses; but when buried under water or in damp earth, their preservation is probable. Therefore, the species most likely to become fossilized are those living in water or marshes, or in the neighborhood of water or marshes.

Fossil Encrinite

When the remains of an animal or plant are exposed to the air or buried in dry earth, they generally…

"Fossil Plant from Coal Measures of Pennsylvania."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Fossil Plant

"Fossil Plant from Coal Measures of Pennsylvania."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

"Microscopical section of Fossil Wood, from clay iron-stone nodules; Oldham." -Taylor, 1904

Fossil Wood

"Microscopical section of Fossil Wood, from clay iron-stone nodules; Oldham." -Taylor, 1904

A fossil of rain drops with ripple marks.

Fossils

A fossil of rain drops with ripple marks.

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Frondicularia Annularis. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Frondicularia Annularis

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Frondicularia Annularis. These shells are mostly very small,…

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Fusulina cylindrica. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Fusulina Cylindrica

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Fusulina cylindrica. These shells are mostly very small,…

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Fusulina cylindrica. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Fusulina Cylindrica

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Fusulina cylindrica. These shells are mostly very small,…

Fusulina cylindrica, a typical foraminiferal shell forming rocks in the later Paleozoic. A single shell enlarged and partly sectioned to show interior.

Fusulina Cylindrica

Fusulina cylindrica, a typical foraminiferal shell forming rocks in the later Paleozoic. A single shell…

Ganoids were ancient fish from the Paleozoic time. The image is of the Holoptychius.

Ganoid

Ganoids were ancient fish from the Paleozoic time. The image is of the Holoptychius.

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Globigerina rubra. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Globigerina Rubra

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Globigerina rubra. These shells are mostly very small,…

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Grammostomum phyllodes. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Grammostomum Phyllodes

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Grammostomum phyllodes. These shells are mostly very small,…

"Various species of Graptolites, from the Silurian rocks." -Taylor, 1904

Graptolites

"Various species of Graptolites, from the Silurian rocks." -Taylor, 1904

"Ideal landscape of the Oolitic period." -Taylor, 1904

Jurassic Landscape

"Ideal landscape of the Oolitic period." -Taylor, 1904

Thin section of Jurassic oolite showing the characteristic zonal structure.

Jurassic Oolite

Thin section of Jurassic oolite showing the characteristic zonal structure.

"a Lepidodendron (restored); b & c impressions on back; d stem with leaves; e leaflet; f fruit of Lepidodendron, called Lepidostrobus; g showing spores in bracts of fruit." -Taylor, 1904

Lepidodedron

"a Lepidodendron (restored); b & c impressions on back; d stem with leaves; e leaflet; f fruit of Lepidodendron,…

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Lituola nautiloides. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Lituola Nautiloides

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Lituola nautiloides. These shells are mostly very small,…

Four varieties of mollusks from the Mesozoic time: "391, Exogyra costata; 392, Inoceramus problematicus; 393, Gryphaea vesicularis; 394, G. Pitcheri." -Dana, 1883

Mesozoic Mollusks

Four varieties of mollusks from the Mesozoic time: "391, Exogyra costata; 392, Inoceramus problematicus;…

"Ideal landscape of the Miocene period." -Taylor, 1904

Miocene Landscape

"Ideal landscape of the Miocene period." -Taylor, 1904

An ancient mollusk from the Paleozoic time, Goniatites Marcellensis from the Hamilton group.

Goniatites Mollusk Fossil

An ancient mollusk from the Paleozoic time, Goniatites Marcellensis from the Hamilton group.

An ancient mollusk from the Carboniferous Age, the Archimedes reversa.

Archimedes Mollusk

An ancient mollusk from the Carboniferous Age, the Archimedes reversa.

Nummulite limestone.

Nummulite Limestone

Nummulite limestone.

Shell of a Nummulite cut transversely and in part horizontally.

Shell of a Nummulite

Shell of a Nummulite cut transversely and in part horizontally.

A nummulite, a coiled fossil.

Nummulites

A nummulite, a coiled fossil.

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Nummulites nummularia. These shells are mostly very small, and yet through their abundance they have been very important in limestone-making.

Nummulites Nummularia

This illustration shows the calcareous shell Nummulites nummularia. These shells are mostly very small,…

"Orthoceras, upper part showing perforated chamber." -Taylor, 1904

Orthoceras

"Orthoceras, upper part showing perforated chamber." -Taylor, 1904

A curved orthoceras, common in limestone (Cyrtoceras Murchisoni).

Curved Orthoceras

A curved orthoceras, common in limestone (Cyrtoceras Murchisoni).

"Fish, trilobites, brachiopods, corals, and graptolites of the Palaeozoic epoch." -Taylor, 1904

Paleozoic Animals

"Fish, trilobites, brachiopods, corals, and graptolites of the Palaeozoic epoch." -Taylor, 1904

"Pentamerus Knightii." -Taylor, 1904

Pentamerus

"Pentamerus Knightii." -Taylor, 1904

"Microscopic Section of Pitchstone, showing dendritic crystals." -Taylor, 1904

Pitchstone

"Microscopic Section of Pitchstone, showing dendritic crystals." -Taylor, 1904

A mollusk radiate from the Paleozoic time, Platyceras angulatum from the Niagara group.

Platyceras Mollusk

A mollusk radiate from the Paleozoic time, Platyceras angulatum from the Niagara group.

"Huge fossil Crustacean (Pterygotus Anglicus). Old Red Sandstone, Forfarshire." -Taylor, 1904

Pterygotus anglicus

"Huge fossil Crustacean (Pterygotus Anglicus). Old Red Sandstone, Forfarshire." -Taylor, 1904

"Ideal landscape of the Quaternary period." -Taylor, 1904

Quaternary Landscape

"Ideal landscape of the Quaternary period." -Taylor, 1904

An ancient radiate from the Carboniferous Age, the Actinocrinus proboscidialis.

Actinocrinus Radiate

An ancient radiate from the Carboniferous Age, the Actinocrinus proboscidialis.

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Caryocrinus ornatus.

Caryocrinus Radiate

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Caryocrinus ornatus.

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Chaetetes lycoperdon.

Chaetetes Radiate

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Chaetetes lycoperdon.

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Favosites Niagarensis of the Niagara group.

Favosites Radiate

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Favosites Niagarensis of the Niagara group.

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Halysites catenulata.

Halysites Radiate

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Halysites catenulata.

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Lecanocrinus elegans.

Lecanocrinus Radiate

A radiate from the Paleozoic time, Lecanocrinus elegans.