Brachiopods

These fossils are the shells of brachiopods. The ones in this picture lived about 380 million years ago, in what is now the state of Iowa. Brachiopods were common in oceans all around the world from 540 million years ago to 245 million years ago. A few hundred species still live today, but they are no longer as common as they once were.

Brachiopods © UCMP.