Part C
Critters of the Past
Was there life on Earth in the past? If so, what was it like? How can we hope to understand the existence plants and animals that lived many millions (and even billions) of years ago? Well, one step at a time. With the help of fossil evidence and the scientific method, we can begin to reconstruct the form, behavior, and environment of ancient life forms.
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Figure 16-5. Geologists are always for clues about ancient life. At left, a eurypterid ("sea scorpion") in Early Paleozoic rock. At right, human-drawn petroglyphs (on a basalt boulder) of animals that may have once lived in the area around Agua Fria River gorge in central Arizona. |
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Creature Feature
Quiz Me! questions C36 through C40 involve fossil description and identification. If necessary, you can refer to the various fossil identification charts from the fossil lab.
