Name:
___
Date: _________________
Period:
LAB #51: Index Fossils of NY State
Introduction: Use page 8-9 of the ESRT to fill in the following information, and then answer questions on the second page:
Index
Fossil
Image
Fossil Name
Fossil Group
Period/Epoch
Age (M.Y.A.)
Index
Fossil
Image
Fossil Name
Fossil Group
Period/Epoch
Age (M.Y.A.)
Index
Fossil
Image
Fossil Name
Fossil Group
Period/Epoch
Age (M.Y.A.)
Index
Fossil
Image
Fossil Name
Fossil Group
Period/Epoch
Age (M.Y.A.)
Index
Fossil
Image
Fossil Name
Fossil Group
Period/Epoch
Age (M.Y.A.)
Analysis and Conclusions
1. Read p.306 of the review book and describe the four characteristics a fossil has to have to be used as an index fossil.
2. Index fossils were used by geologist to support the theory that Africa and South America were once connected as part of the same continent.
Explain how they used the fossils of Cynognathus and Mesosaurus to support this idea (check the notes on p3).
3. Most index fossils are found during this geologic period: __________________ Use p.3 of the ESRT to estimate the percentage of Devonian
bedrock that covers the surface of NY State (circle the closest option):
10% 20% 40% 80%
4. Coelophysis footprints are the only evidence of dinosaurs found in NY State. Use p.2&3 of the ESRT to determine the landscape region where
you might find these footprints (there is also a link on the website about this dinosaur): _________________________________________
Notes for Index Fossil Lab
FOSSIL EVIDENCE
There are many examples of fossils found on separate continents and nowhere else, suggesting the continents were once
joined. If Continental Drift had not occurred, the alternative explanations would be:

The species evolved independently on separate continents – contradicting Darwin’s theory of evolution.

They swam to the other continent/s in breeding pairs to establish a second population.
Image: From This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics p8
Remains of Mesosaurus, a freshwater crocodile-like reptile that lived during the early Permian (between 286 and 258 million
years ago), are found solely in Southern Africa and Eastern South America. It would have been physiologically impossible for
Mesosaurus to swim between the continents. This suggests that South America and Africa were joined during the Early
Permian.
Cynognathus is an extinct mammal-like reptile. The name literally means ‘dog jaw’. Cynognathus was as large as a modern wolf
and lived during the early to mid Triassic period (250 to 240 million years ago). It is found as fossils only in South Africa and
South America.
FROM: HTTP://WWW.GEOLSOC.ORG.UK/PLATE-TECTONICS/CHAP1-PIONEERS-OF-PLATE-TECTONICS/ALFRED-WEGENER/FOSSIL-EVIDENCE-FROM-THE-SOUTHERNHEMISPHERE