4.6" Polished Stromatolite (Conophyton) Fossil - Australia

This is a 4.6" wide, polished slab of stromatolites (Conophyton) from Mooloo Downs Station in Western Australia. The age of these stromatolitic formations is unknown, however studies suggest that they formed between the Calymmian stage and Statherian stage (approximately 1.4 - 1.8 billion years).

It comes with an acrylic display stand.

Stromatolites are the layered trace fossils of microbial life, primarily cyanobacteria. Some of them date back an astounding 3.4 billion years, making them the oldest record of life on Earth! Stromatolites and Microbialites were typically formed in shallow water by the growth of layer upon layer of cyanobacteria, a single-celled, photosynthesizing microbe. These layers often form very beautiful and colorful banded structures in the rock.

These oxygen-producing cyanobacteria were so simple they lacked a DNA-packaging nucleus, but were responsible for possibly the largest changes the earth has undergone. They were the only major source of atmospheric oxygen critical for the development of more complex life.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Conophyton sp.
LOCATION
Mooloo Downs Station, Upper Gascoyne Shire, Western Australia
SIZE
4.6 x 4.1", up to .5" thick
CATEGORY
ITEM
#180196
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