Exquisitely-Preserved
Cretaceous Insect Fossils from the Crato Formation in Brazil (part
of Santana Formation) |
Description:
The Araripe Basin of Brazil is home to a fantastic array of exquisitely
detailed Early Cretaceous fossils, some of which have been preserved
in three dimensions. While the entire formation has until the last
decade or so been termed the Santana Formation, David Martill has
separated out the slightly older insect-bearing strata as the Nova
Olinda Member of the Crato Formation. Quarrying operations for the
purposes of obtaining paving stones exposes the remarkable insect
fauna in much the same way that quarrying for lithographic limestone
in Solnhofen has afforded a panoply of wonderfully-preserved Jurassic
fossils in Germany. In addition to the many orders of insects, spiders,
scorpions, decapod crustaceans, and many plants have been found.
Interestingly, to date no pterosaurs or terrestrial vertebrates
have been found, in stark contrast to the overlying Santana Formation
deposits.
Name:
Class Insecta, different Orders as described below
Age: Lower Cretaceous, Late Aptian-Cenomanian (108-92 million years
ago)
Location: Crato Formation, Nova Olinda Member, Ceara, Brazil
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Fossil Pictures for Larger View |
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Type:
Cockroach (Blattida)
Size: 18 mm on a 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI001 $25 |
Type:
Planthopper (Homoptera)
Size: 14 mm on a 78 mm by 52 mm matrix
Code: BI002 - Sold |
Type:
Beetle (Coleoptera)
Size: 7 mm on a 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI003 Sold |
Type:
Planthopper (Homoptera)
Size: 10 mm a 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI004 Sold |
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Type:
True Bug (Hemiptera)
Size: 10 mm on a 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI005 Sold |
Type:
Planthopper (Homoptera)
Size: 10 mm on a 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI006 Sold |
Type:
True Bug (Hemiptera)
Size: 9 mm on a 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI007 $25 |
Type:
Cockroach (Blattida)
Size: 13 mm on a 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI008 $25 |
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Type:
Planthopper (Homoptera)
Size: 15 mm on 90 mm by 57 mm matrix
Code: BI009 $30 |
Type:
Beetle (Coleoptera)
Size: 11 mm on a 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI010 Sold |
Type:
Grasshopper (Orthoptera)
Size: 17 mm on 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI011 - Sold |
Type:
Cockroach (Blattida)
Size: 14 mm on a 80 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI012 $25 |
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Type:
Beetle (Coleoptera)Size:
9 mm on a 80 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI013 $20 |
Type:
Planthopper (Homoptera)Size:
12 mm on 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI014 $20 |
Type:
Beetle (Coleoptera)Size:
6 mm on 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI015 Sold |
Type:
Cockroach (Blattida)Size:
12 mm on 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI016 $20 |
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Type:
Beetle (Coleoptera)
Size: 13 mm on a 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI017 $15 |
Type:
Planthopper (Homoptera)
Size: 12 mm on a 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI018 Sold |
Type:
Cockroach (Blattida)
Size: 12 mm on 78 mm by 55 mm matrix
Code: BI019 - Sold |
Type:
Beetle (Coleoptera)
Size: 5 mm on a 78 mm by 53 mm matrix
Code: BI0020 Sold |
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