Stromatolite ( approx. 3 x 8 cm)
Contrasting beautifully preserved fossil algae mats.
Age: Cambrian
Region of discovery: Mexico
Size: approx. 3-4 x 8-10 cm
Stromatolites belong to the oldest fossils we know of, as they are merely bacteria or algae that form mats which catch sediment. Any new layer to the mat seals the sediment and also collects a new layer of sediment. When the sediment finally fossilizes and the matts decompose, the layers are still visible. They need calm waters and little predation to grow, so they nowadays can only occur in extreme environments where grazers cannot eat them faster than they can grow, like the Shark Bay in Australia.
The picture is a sample. You will get a similar specimen.
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