Description

The Orthoceras (the needle like fossils) is part of a group of primitive marine animals called cephalopods, and is similar to the present day squid or nautilus. This group of sea dwelling animal developed between the Ordovician period approximately 400-500 million years ago, being found in warm seas along the equator. The large shallow warm seas of the Ordovician period were teaming with life and provided a plentiful supply of food. The Orthoceras has a cylindrical cone shaped shell and the word Orthoceras actually means straight horn.