LAB 7: PALEOZOIC

1) How did the diversity of marine organisms (shown by the number of families in figure 10.1) change
from the beginning of the Cambrian period to the end of the Ordovician period? (Cambrian is shown
as C with a line through it and Ordovician as Ɵ on the graph.)

There was a decline in the number of families.

2)What happened to the number of marine families at the end of the Permian period (shown as P on
figure 10.1)? What is going on at this point in Earth’s history that caused this change in diversity?

Mass Extinction

Volcanic eruptions: The Siberian Traps, a massive volcanic region in Siberia, erupted over a period of
millions of years, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere. This led to global warming, which may have caused ocean acidification and a decline in
oxygen levels in the water.

3)How does the diversity of the Paleozoic Fauna compare to the diversity of the Modern Fauna during
the Silurian period (shown as S on the graphs)? How does the diversity of these two faunas compare
to the diversity today, shown on the far-right side of the graphs?

Silurian period

There was a sharp increase in the number of families for both Paleozoic Fauna and Modern Fauna.

Diversity Today

Presently, Modern Fauna are much more than Paleozoic Fauna. Modern fauna has approximately 900
families. Paleozoic Fauna has approximately 90 families, 10 times less than Modern Fauna.

Part II

4)Navigate to Phylum Cnidaria and find the corals called Rugosa. Observe the digital model of
Zaphrentites spinulosum, which is sometimes called a “horn coral.” Is this a solitary coral or a colonial
coral?

solitary coral

Does it have septa (singular septum)?

Yes
5)For comparison, look at the corals called Tabulata and find the model of Favosites favosus. Zoom in
on the hexagon-shaped (6-sided) corallites where the colonial coral animals lived. Do these corallites
have septa?

No

6)Move to the Phylum Brachiopoda. Examine the first digital model of the modern brachiopod. Which
is larger, the brachial valve or the pedicle valve?

brachial valve

7)Examine the fossil of Mediospirifer audaculus. When facing the sulcus, numbered 2, is the specimen
mostly symmetrical (the same on both sides of the sulcus) or asymmetrical (different on opposite
sides of the sulcus)?

symmetrical

8)What is the function of the brachiopod’s lophophore?

Allows for feeding and respiration of brachiopods.

10)Find the Phylum Bryozoa. Examine the fossil of Prasopora sp., looking closely at the holes on the
surface where the bryozoan animals lived. Are these bigger or smaller compared to the corallites of
the tabulate coral? (This is a good way to tell bryozoans and corals apart!)

Bryozoans holes are bigger than those of corals.

11) Find the Phylum Echinodermata, Class Crinoidea. Examine the 3D models of the crinoid stem
segments. What are these single pieces of the crinoid stem called?

Columnals

Why are they such common fossils?

When a crinoid is alive, the columnals are connected by soft tissues. However, in the event a crinoid dies,
these tissues decay and a hole is formed in each columnal. Since a crinoid stalk is made up of many
dozens of columnals, which break apart after the animal dies, many fossils are left behind.

Like many Paleozoic Fauna animals, crinoids have had to evolve to deal with more advanced predators
in the modern age. Some have gained the ability to move to avoid being eaten. What are the two ways
that modern crinoids can move?

1) Swimming
2) Crawling

12) Select the Lycophytes and examine Lepidodendron. What part of the plant is this?

Stem

What does the mode of preservation appear to be?

Carbonization