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Bear Gulch Limestone facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Bear Gulch Limestone in Montana is a special rock layer. It's full of amazing fossils! This limestone formed about 318 million years ago. This was during a time called the Pennsylvanian period.

It formed in a tropical area, near the equator. The land around it had muddy flats and small rivers. The climate was dry, like a desert.

Amazing Fossils Found Here

The Bear Gulch Limestone is famous for its fossils. Many types of ancient fish and other sea creatures are found here. They were preserved in amazing detail!

When these animals died, they sank to the bottom of a shallow lagoon. The water there had very little oxygen. This stopped bacteria from breaking down their bodies. Sometimes, lots of mud would also cover them quickly. This helped to protect them. Over millions of years, their remains turned into fossils.

Scientists have found many different kinds of animals here. This shows that the ancient lagoon was a busy place. It had many different places for various creatures to live.

Images for kids

  • Bear gulch montana sea urchin

    Bear Gulch fossil sea urchin, species unknown.

  • Falcatus falcatus 01

    Falcatus falcatus

  • Belantsea montana

    Belantsea montana

  • Debeerius

    Debeerius ellefseni

  • Echinochimaera meltoni (fossil fish) (Bear Gulch Limestone, Upper Mississippian; Montana, USA) (33784748875)

    Echinochimaera meltoni

  • Harpacanthus2DB

    Harpacanthus fimbriatus

  • Heteropetalus elegantulus Bear Gulch Montana USA

    Heteropetalus elegantulus

  • StethacanthusesDB 2

    Stethacanthus altonensis and Stethacanthus productus

  • Thrinacoselache gracia

    "Thrinacoselache" (Thrinacodus) gracia

  • †Discoserra pectinodon Unt Karbon Bear Gulch Montana USA Ch2431

    Discoserra pectinodon

  • †Paratarrasius hibbardi Carboniferous Bear Gulch, Montana

    Paratarrasius hibbardi

  • †Allenypterus montanus Unt Karbon Bear Gulch Montana USA Ch927

    Allenypterus montanus

  • †Caridosuctor populosum Unt Karbon Bear Gulch USA Ch1056

    Caridosuctor populosum

  • †Aenigmacaris cornigerum SCHRAM & HORNER 1979

    Aenigmacaris cornigerum

  • 20200924 Anderella parva

    Anderella parva

  • †Dithyrocaris rolfei Unt Karbon Bear Gulch Montana USA Ar2547

    Dithyrocaris rolfei

  • Ar1050 Perimecturus rapax Unt Karbon Bear Gulch Montana USA

    "Perimecturus" rapax

  • †Tyrannophontes acanthocercus Unt Karbon Bear Gulch Montana USA Ar886a

    Tyrannophontes (Daidal) acanthocercus

  • Reticycloceras sp Carboniferous Bear Gulch Montana USA Mo1832b

    Reticycloceras sp.

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