Paleontology in Indiana facts for kids
Paleontology in Indiana is all about finding and studying fossils in the U.S. state of Indiana. These fossils tell us amazing stories about the plants and animals that lived here long, long ago.
Indiana's fossil record goes back to a time called the Precambrian period. Back then, only tiny microbes lived in the state. Later, during the early Paleozoic era, Indiana was covered by a warm, shallow sea. This sea was home to creatures like brachiopods (shellfish), bryozoans (tiny colonial animals), cephalopods (like ancient squids), crinoids (sea lilies), and trilobites (ancient arthropods).
During the Silurian period, Indiana had huge reefs, like today's coral reefs. Then, in the Carboniferous period, Indiana became more like land. Big rivers flowed, creating rich, green deltas where amphibians lived.
There's a big gap in Indiana's rock record from the Permian period through the entire Mesozoic era (the time of dinosaurs). This means we don't find fossils from those times here.
Little is known about the early to middle Cenozoic era in Indiana. But during the Ice Age, huge glaciers covered parts of the state. Animals like short-faced bears, camels, mammoths, and mastodons roamed Indiana.
After humans arrived, Native Americans found large proboscidean (elephant-like) fossils near Devil's Lake. They thought these were the bones of giant water monsters! Later, scientists began to study these fossils. One survey found nearly 150 different kinds of ancient plants in Indiana.
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Indiana's Ancient Past
Indiana's fossil story begins in the Precambrian period. Very old microbe fossils have been found from this time.
Life in Ancient Seas
Later, during the Cambrian period, Indiana was near the equator. A warm, shallow sea covered the state. This sea was home to brachiopods, trilobites, and sponges.
In the next period, the Ordovician, Indiana was still under the sea. More types of sea creatures lived here. These included brachiopods, bryozoans, cephalopods, crinoids, gastropods (snails), pelecypods (clams), and trilobites.
The sea continued to cover Indiana during the Silurian Period. In northern and southwestern Indiana, large reefs grew. These reefs were made of animals like corals and stromatoperoids. They grew at the edges of deeper water areas.
The Terre Haute Reef Bank in southwestern Indiana has over 60 ancient reefs. Some of these reefs later became important for humans. They sometimes held petroleum (oil) or could store natural gas. The Fort Wayne Bank in northern Indiana has more than 20 reefs. People have mined these reefs for high-quality rock. Other life in Silurian Indiana included brachiopods, bryozoans, crinoids, eurypterids (sea scorpions), gastropods, pelecypods, and trilobites.
The same sea covered Indiana during the Devonian period. Many ancient sea creatures still lived here. These included brachiopods, bryozoans, corals, cephalopods, pelecypods, and trilobites.
When Indiana Was Land
During the Carboniferous period, Indiana changed. It became a land of large river systems. These rivers formed huge deltas. The plants growing on these deltas later turned into coal deposits.
Life during the Mississippian epoch included arthropods, brachiopods, bryozoans, cephalopods, corals, crinoids, foraminifera (tiny shelled creatures), fishes, molluscs, and trilobites. In the Pennsylvanian epoch, amphibians lived here. Plants like Calamites (giant horsetails), Cordaites (ancient trees), lycopods (clubmosses), seed ferns, and true ferns were common.
Missing Dinosaurs
There are no fossils in Indiana from the Permian period or the entire Mesozoic era. This is because during that time, rocks were being worn away, not laid down. So, there are no rocks from that time to hold fossils. Even though dinosaurs probably lived in Indiana during the Mesozoic, we don't find their fossils here.
Ice Age Animals
Little is known about Indiana's Tertiary history because there are few rocks from that time. However, some ancient animals and plants have been found in sinkholes.
Later, during the Quaternary period, huge glaciers shaped Indiana's landscape. The state was home to birds, camels, fishes, peccaries (pig-like animals), the short-faced bear, rodents, snakes, and turtles. More recently, animals like dire wolves, gastropods, mammoths, mastodons, pelecypods, and saber-toothed cats lived in Indiana. Plants also left behind fossils and pollen.
Discovering Indiana's Fossils
Native Americans knew about fossils. In Indiana, the Potawatomi people believed that Ice Age proboscidean (elephant-like) bones found near Devil's Lake belonged to ancient water monsters.
Later, scientists began to study fossils in Indiana. One important project happened in the mid-1950s. Scientists surveyed Indiana's fossil plants. They found many more types of ancient plants than they expected. This showed how important these fossils were for science. In total, they found 146 species of prehistoric plants from 68 groups at 93 fossil sites. Indiana's plant fossils are also helpful for matching up different coal layers.
People Who Studied Fossils
- Elmer S. Riggs was born in Trafalgar, Indiana, on January 23, 1869. He became a famous paleontologist.
Places to See Fossils
If you want to see Indiana's amazing fossils, you can visit these museums:
- The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis
- Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis
- Joseph Moore Museum, Richmond
- Sumner B. Sheets Museum of Wildlife and Marine Exhibits, Huntington
