The Cambrian in Wisconsin, US

Paleontology and geology

In the Cambrian, Wisconsin lay near the equator. The state had a tropical climate and was covered by a shallow sea, teeming with diverse life forms. Fine-grained sediments eroding from adjacent landmasses settled on the sea floor. The deposits of sandstone and shale preserve the remains and traces of intriguing ancient sea life such as Dikelocephalus and thin-shelled brachiopods. Rare fossils of soft bodied animals, preserved in tranquil intertidal and lagoonal environments, can be found today at the remarkable Krukowski Quarry in central Wisconsin. Studying Wisconsin’s Cambrian fossil record reveals many mysteries of early evolution, ancient ancestors, and bizarre experimental life forms that left no living descendants.

Links to more on the Cambrian in Wisconsin

Research and Collections | Resources

Ongoing Research Projects (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Upper Cambrian Sandstones: Photographic record of a field trip led by Dr. James W. Hagadorn, Amherst College. Fine photos of trace fossils and jellyfish from Blackberry Hill, WI, and related Cambrian sites.

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Researchers (showing 1 of 1 listings)

BlackBerry Hill: In Italian, a page on the ichnofossils (with photos) from this famous lagerstätten.

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On-line Journals/Publications (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Reinterpretation of Climactichnites Logan 1860 to Include Subsurface Burrows, and Erection of Musculopodus for Resting Traces of the Trailmaker: A 2008 journal article by P.R. Getty and J.W. Hagadorn concerning these enigmatic trace fossils.

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