Fossils — Orthoceras

Orthoceras fossils are one of the most common fossils found in sedimentary rocks all over the world. These fossils belong to an extinct class of marine animals called cephalopods, which thrived during the Ordovician period around 450 million years ago.The name "Orthoceras" comes from the Greek words "ortho," meaning straight, and "keras," meaning horn. This refers to the long, straight, cone-shaped shell of the animal, which was divided into chambers filled with gas to help it control its buoyancy in the water.Orthoceras fossils are typically black or grey in color, and they usually have a polished, smooth surface due to...