Silurian Fossils (440 to 410 mya)

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Silurian Life

The Silurian saw rising sea levels due to glacial melting. Life was still predominantly marine, but the first unequivocal terrestrial fossils are found in Silurian strata. Arachnid and centipede fossil are found. Perhaps most important is the appearance of vascular plants, particularly Cooksonia and Lycophites. The Silurian witnessed substantial evolution of fishes. The first jawed fished appeared and jawless fishes dispersed widely. Not only does this time period mark the wide and rapid spread of jawless fish, but also the highly significant appearances of both the first known freshwater fish as well as the first fish with jaws. The first bony fish, the Osteichthyes appeared, represented by the Acanthodians with bony scales. Trilobites, eurypterids, brachiopods, bryozoa, echinoderms and molluscs were among the diverse fauna.

Silurian Fossils

Lasanius problematicus Agnatha Jawless Fish Ayrshire, Scotland	Birkenia elegans Agnatha Jawless Fish Ayrshire, Scotland	Birkenia elegans Agnatha Jawless Fish Ayrshire, Scotland	Primitive Plant Cooksonia on Eurypterid Exoskeleton Bertie Group, New York
Scyphocrinites elegans Camerate Crinoid Alnif, Morocco	Dalmanites limulurus Trilobite Family: Dalmanitidae Rochester Shale Formation Middleport, New York	Eurypterus remipes Eurypterid Chelicerata Bertie Group, New York	Raphiophorus parvulus Trilobite Family Raphiophoridae Upper Silurian Shropshire, United Kingdom
Loganellia Thelodont Fossil Fish Leshmagow, Scotland	Acanthalomina minuta Trilobite Order Lichida Family Odontopleuridae Kopaninske Formation, Czech Republic	Lanarkia horrida Agnatha Jawless Fish Ayrshire, Scotland	Australaster giganteus Starfish Fossil Silurian Victoria, Australia
Spirograptus Graptolite New South Wales, Australia	Spathacalymene nasuta Trilobite Order Phacopida Family Calymenidae Ripley County, Indiana