Lake Mead Virtual Museum

Rugose Coral Caryophyllia Ambrosia

Period: Early Permian
L 13mm (.5in)

Unlike most corals, Caryophyllia ambrosia does not live in colonies. Rather, it lives a solitary life, attaching to the ocean floor and filter feeding to obtain nutrients. This specimen was found from the Toroweap Formation which is early Permian in age (about 275 million years ago) and was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936, from a site just north of Frenchman Mountain.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1022

Coral-like fossil with a white center encompassed by a brown ombré of rocky rectangular ridges.

Brachiopod

Period: Early Permian
L 25mm (1 in.)

Brachiopods had two shells that hinged together similar to a clam, although brachiopods went extinct 252 million years ago at the end of the Permian period. This specimen was found in the Toroweap Formation which is early Permian in age (about 275 million years ago). It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936, from a site just north of Frenchman Mountain.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1023

Clam-shaped fossil with brown hues and two deeply carved parallel lines surrounded by smaller-lined markings.

Bryozoan

Period: Early Permian
L 25mm (1 in.)

Bryozoans are microscopic filter feeders that live in a colony, similar to coral. This specimen was found from the Toroweap Formation which is early Permian in age (about 275 million years ago) and was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936, from a site just north of Frenchman Mountain.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1049

A cluster of eroded rock with exposed white crystal at the top and shades of orange, brown, and black in box-shaped textured markings.

Coral Cladopora Disphyllum

Period: Middle to Late Devonian
L 32mm (1.25 in.)

This is a specimen of the colonial-dwelling coral Cladopora disphyllum. This specimen comes from the middle to late Devonian (385-358 million years ago) Sultan Formation. It was collected from the West Muddy Mountains by Edward Schenk in 1936.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1057

Long, coral-like fossil with a brown base and colors of white scattered throughout on each ridge.

Coral Cladopora Disphyllum

Period: Middle to Late Devonian
L 28mm (1.1 in.)

This block preserves the colonial-dwelling coral Cladopora disphyllum. This specimen comes from the middle to late Devonian (385-358 million years ago) Sultan Formation. It was collected from the West Muddy Mountains by Edward Schenk in 1936.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1067

A brown cluster of textured circular-shapes with a tan-colored ring at the top and deep sockets of brown in the center.

Coral Cladopora Disphyllum

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 203mm (8 in.)

This block contains a solitary type of coral, which would attach to the bottom of the ocean floor to filter feed. The specimen was found in the early to late Mississippian (358-325 million years ago) Redwall Limestone, and was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936 from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1080

Brown block full of scattered white and tan coral-like fossils with an engraved imprint on the bottom.

Coral Zaphrentites Persimilis

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 31mm (1.2 in.)

This specimen is a solitary type of coral, which would attach to the bottom of the ocean floor to filter feed. It was found in the early to late Mississippian (358-325 million years ago) Redwall Limestone, and was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936 from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1154

Long, textured shell-shaped fossil in tones of brown and white with a hollowed opening.

Coral Zaphrentites Persimilis

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 31mm (1.2 in.)

This specimen is a solitary type of coral, which would attach to the bottom of the ocean floor to filter feed. This specimen was found in the early to late Mississippian (358-325 million years ago) Redwall Limestone. This specimen was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936, from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1187

Tan coral-like ringed fossil with a dirt-like center embedded in dark brown textured rock.

Snail Straparollus Ophirensis

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 40mm (1.6 in.)

This is a specimen of the snail Straparollus ophirensis, which had a coiled shell with an elevated spire. It lived in the early to late Mississippian (358-325 million years ago) and was collected from the Redwall Limestone by Edward Schenk in 1936 from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1273

White coiled shell-shaped fossil with an elevated spire.

Coral Michelinia Expansa

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 55mm (2.1 in.)

This colonial coral, known as Michelinia expansa, lived in reef-forming groups. This specimen was found in the Redwall Limestone which is early to late Mississippian in age (358-325 million years ago). It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936 from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1278

Coral-like fossil in hues of orange with scattered hollow holes and traces of exposed white crystal.

Spiriferid Brachiopod

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 40mm (1.6 in.)

This ocean-dwelling brachiopod had valves that articulated in an elongated zig-zag pattern, making it look somewhat like a wing. This specimen was collected from the Redwall Limestone which is early to late Mississippian in age (358-325 million years ago). It was collected from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon by Edward Schenk in 1936.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1293

Tan wing-shaped fossil with specks of black mixed throughout and exposed white crystal on the bottom.

Syringopora Surcularia

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 71mm (2.8 in.)

This specimen of colonial coral is called Syringopora surcularia and was collected from the Redwall Limestone, which is early to late Mississippian in age (358-325 million years ago). It was collected from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon by Edward Schenk in 1936.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1298

Brown coral-like fossil with through holes scattered across its surface.

Colonial Coral Syringopora Surcularia

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 79mm (3.1 in.)

This specimen of colonial coral is called Syringopora surcularia and was collected from the Redwall Limestone, which is early to late Mississippian in age (358-325 million years ago). It was collected from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon by Edward Schenk in 1936.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1309

Coral-like fossil with textured hollow holes in shades of brown and exposed white crystal.

Brachiopod Productus Crawfordsvillensis

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 83mm (3.3 in.)

This specimen of brachiopod is Productus crawfordsvillensis and was found in the Monte Cristo Group, which is early to late Mississippian in age (358-325 million years ago). All articulated brachiopods, including this form, went extinct at the end of the Permian (252 million years ago).

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1333

A combination of clam-shaped fossils with hues of brown, exposed white crystal and black rock-like textures on the bottom.

Crinoid Column

Period: Middle to Late Paleozoic
L 20mm (.75 in.)

This piece of a crinoid stem eroded from one of the limestone peaks around Lake Mead. The common name for crinoids is the sea lily. This name is derived from their appearance, with a stem that attaches to the ocean floor and a flower-like calyx. They are echinoderms, which means they're related to starfish and sea urchins. This specimen is from the Paleozoic period (350-270 million years ago), but crinoids still exist in the oceans today.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1616

White cylinder-shaped fossil made out of eroded limestone with textured indentions throughout and hollow holes at the top.

Trilobite Glossopleura Mckeei

Period: Middle to Late Paleozoic
L 20mm (.75 in.)

This specimen of the trilobite Glossopleura mckeei is encased in plaster. A trilobite is a small carnivorous ocean creature that scuttled along the ocean floor. This specimen was collected by 1940 in the area of Rampart Cave in the Grand Canyon. It was collected by Edward Schenk from the middle Cambrian age (515 million years ago) Bright Angel.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1724

Fossil encased in black stone with a white ridged oval shape in the center and textured lines within.

Cephalopod Nautiloid

Period: Late Mississippian to Early Permian
L 40mm (1.6 in.)

This cephalopod is an orthoceratid (straight-shelled) nautiloid, and was a benthic carnivore - similar to a modern day squid, but with a shell. This specimen was found in the late Mississippian to early Permian age (320-285 million years ago) Pakoon Limestone/Callville Formation. It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from Iceberg Canyon, located in Eastern Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1734

Straight-shelled fossil implanted in orange and red rock with brown circular markings at the top.

Vesiculophyllum Incrassatum Coral

Period: Late Mississippian to Early Permian
L 25mm (1 in.)

This specimen of Vesiculophyllum incrassatum was found in the Pakoon Limestone/Callville Formation, which is late Mississippian to early Permian in age (320-285 million years ago). It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from Iceberg Canyon in the eastern part of Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1817

Cluster of eroded rock and exposed white crystal with a brown protruding coral-like fossil sticking out of the upper left-hand side.

Coral Vesiculophyllum Incrassatum

Period: Late Mississippian to Early Permian
L 97mm (3.8 in.)

This specimen of Vesiculophyllum incrassatum was found in the Pakoon Limestone/Callville Formation which is late Mississippian to early Permian in age (320-285 million years ago). It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from Iceberg Canyon in the eastern part of Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1821

Three scattered brown coral-like fossils embedded in white rock.

Coral Zaphrentites Persimilis

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 33mm (1.3 in.)

This block contains a solitary type of coral, which would attach to the bottom of the ocean floor to filter feed. This specimen was found in the early to late Mississippian (358-325 million years ago) Redwall Limestone and was collected by Edward Schenk in 1936, from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1832

Spiral shell-shaped fossil in tones of brown implanted in tan and white textured rock.

Coral Vesiculophyllum Incrassatum

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 84mm (3.3 in.)

This specimen of Vesiculophyllum incrassatum was found in the Pakoon Limestone/Callville Formation which is late Mississippian to early Permian in age (320-285 million years ago). It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from Iceberg Canyon in the eastern part of Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1846

Dark brown coral-like fossil imprinted on the left-hand side of tan and white textured rock.

Productid Brachiopod

Period: Early Permian
L 99mm (3.9 in.)

This specimen of Productid brachiopod was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from the early Permian age (275-270 million years ago) Kaibab/Toroweap Formations in eastern Lake Mead NRA. It is among the group of brachiopods that went extinct at the end of the Permian (252 million years ago).

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 1877

Cluster of eroded rock with a clam-shaped fossil embedded in the right-hand side and shades of brown throughout.

Productid Brachiopod

Period: Early Permian
L 99mm (3.9 in.)

This specimen of Productid brachiopod was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from the early Permian age (275-270 million years ago) Kaibab/Toroweap Formations in eastern Lake Mead NRA. It is among the group of brachiopods that went extinct at the end of the Permian (252 million years ago).

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2079

Half-circular shaped fossil in shades of grey and white.

Snail Straporollus Subplanus

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 53mm (2 in.)

This is a specimen of the snail Straporollus subplanus. It lived in the early to late Mississippian (358-325 million years ago) and was collected from the Redwall Limestone by Edward Schenk in 1936, from a site between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2087

Coiled shell-shaped fossil with an elevated spire embedded in a cluster of white and brown textured rock.

Amphibian Metoposaur

Period: Early to Late Mississippian
L 43mm (1.7 in.)

This is a skull fragment from an early amphibian known as a metoposaur, which would have looked similar to a very large salamander. It is from the late Triassic Chinle Formation and lived around 213 million years ago. It was collected by Edward Schenk in 1938 from a location west of Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2148

Earth-toned skull fragment fossil with carved lines, brown speckled dots, and hue of pastel blue mixed throughout.

Trilobite Glossopleura Mckeei

Period: Middle Cambrian
L 76mm (3 in.)

This rock contains many fragmented segments of the trilobite Glossopleura mckeei. Trilobites were carnivorous creatures that scuttled along the ocean floor and resembled large roly-poly bugs. This specimen was found in the Bright Angel Shale which is mid-Cambrian in age (515 million years ago).

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2210

Eroded light brown rock containing raised circular-shaped fragments and imprinted markings throughout.

Ammonite

Period: Pennsylvanian
L 48mm (1.9 in.)

This fossil is currently unidentified and may be a new species of ammonite. Ammonites were similar to squid or nautiloids and live in coiled shells. This specimen was found in the Pakoon Limestone which is Pennsylvanian in age (323-300 million years ago), from a site northwest of Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2304

Brown coiled shell-shaped fossil with clustered imprint markings on the left-hand side and textured lines throughout.

Leaf Impression

Period: Late Cretaceous
L 84mm (3.3 in.)

This is an impression of a dicot leaf, which is a flowering plant. This specimen was collected from the late Cretaceous age (95 million years ago) Baseline Sandstone. It was collected by Edward Schenk between 1935-1937, from a locality east of the Valley of Fire State Park.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2360

Tan colored impression of a dicot leaf within a smooth-textured brown rock.

Gastropod

Period: Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene
L 20mm (.8 in.)

This tightly coiled gastropod, identified as Helisoma tenue, would have lived in a fresh water lake in Southern Nevada about 2.8 million years ago during the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene Epochs.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2427

Ridged white coiled shell-shaped fossil.

Petrified Wood

Period: Late Triassic
L 203mm (8 in.)

This large piece of petrified wood comes from the late Triassic age (213 million years ago) Chinle Formation. This specimen was found at Lake Mead NRA and is from the same formation that preserves the giant logs of petrified wood seen at Petrified Forest National Park.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2493

Brown raised wood-like textured fossil embedded in rock.

Crinoids A

Period: Middle to Late Paleozoic

This rock is full of crinoid segments and was collected near Temple Bar in Lake Mead NRA. The common name for crinoids is the sea lily. This name is derived from their appearance, with a stem that attaches to the ocean floor and a flower-like calyx - through which it feeds - at the top. They are echinoderms, which means they are related to starfish and sea urchins. This specimen is from the middle to late Paleozoic (350-270 million years ago), but crinoids still exist in the world's oceans today.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2494_A

White and brown speckled Crinoid-shaped fossil segments surrounded by hues of brown rock.

Crinoids B

Period: Middle to Late Paleozoic

This rock is full of crinoid segments and was collected near Temple Bar in Lake Mead NRA. The common name for crinoids is the sea lily. This name is derived from their appearance, with a stem that attaches to the ocean floor and a flower-like calyx - through which it feeds - at the top. They are echinoderms, which means they are related to starfish and sea urchins. This specimen is from the middle to late Paleozoic (350-270 million years ago), but crinoids still exist in the world's oceans today.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2494_B

Beige textured Crinoid-shaped fossil segments embedded in light brown rock with a dark brown border.

Reptile Tracks

Period: Early Permian

These tracks are identified as Chelichnus, and were made by an early mammal-like reptile that scampered across a sand dune environment. These tracks were made in the early Permian (280-275 million years ago), and this specimen was collected from the Coconino Sandstone between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2499

Tan sand-dune like rock with imprinted reptile track markings in a horizontal line.

Corals

L 140mm (5.5 in.)

Three genera of coral are preserved in this block: Zaphrentities, Michelinia, and Favosites. These corals would have been part of an ancient reef complex that existed in Southern Nevada 350 million years ago when the area was covered by an ocean.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2500

Three different coral-like fossils imprinted towards the top and scattered throughout a brown block of eroded rock.

Bryzoan

L 87mm (3.4 in.)

These bryozoans are very small to microscopic filter feeders that lived in a colony - in a manner similar to coral. This fan-like specimen is called a fenestrate bryozoan and would have been part of an ancient reef complex that existed in Southern Nevada 350 million years ago when the area was covered by an ocean.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2506

Tan cluster of eroded rock with box-shaped textured markings and a hollow hole imprinted near the top left corner.

Petrified Wood

Period: Late Triassic
L 75mm (2.9 in.)

This small piece of petrified wood comes from the late Triassic age (213 million years ago) Chinle Formation. This specimen was found at Lake Mead NRA and is from the same formation that preserves the giant logs of petrified wood seen at Petrified Forest National Park.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2509

Hues of raised brown wood-like textured fossil with specks of exposed white crystal.

Palm Roots

L 78mm (3 in.)

This specimen of chert contains preserved elements of silica-replaced palm roots.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2520

A combination of red circular and sphere-shaped hollowed markings with white centers scattered throughout tan speckled rock.

Snail

L 57mm (2.2 in.)

This is a cast of a high-spired snail. During the fossilization process, sediment (including fragmented elements of smaller ocean organisms), filled the void within the shell and preserved the cast of the snail as well as the small fossil fragments within the sediment.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 2529

White, tan and gray shell-shaped fossil with a high-spired snail.

Bird Tracks

Period: Early Miocene
L 305mm (12 in.)

These tracks were collected from the Early Miocene age (17-14 million years ago) Horse Spring Formation, Thumb Member, from a site within Lake Mead NRA. The tracks were left by a wading or shore bird as it walked across the wet sand along the shore of a freshwater lake.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 3712

Tan sand-dune like rock with imprinted bird track markings scattered throughout.

Reptile Tracks

Period: Early Permian
L 72mm (2.8 in.)

These tracks are identified as Chelichnus,and were made by an early mammal-like reptile that scampered across a sand dune environment. These tracks were made in the early Permian (280-275 million years ago), and this specimen was collected from the Coconino Sandstone between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 3787

Mammal-like reptile track markings scattered across a tan sand-dune like rock.

Concretion

L 62mm (2.4 in.)

This small nodule of chalcedony is an example of a concretion, which forms when layers of mud, sediment, or minerals collect around a small object, such as a stick or bone. The break pattern indicates that this concretion was broken open by a human, possibly a miner interested in finding valuable minerals, or an Indigenous person creating a tool.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 4111

Chipped clam-shaped concretion with ridged spiraled imprints in hues of brown and grey.

Bird Tracks

Period: Early Miocene
L 222mm (8.75 in.)

These tracks were collected from the Early Miocene age (17-14 million years ago) Horse Spring Formation, Thumb Member, from a site within Lake Mead NRA. The tracks were left by a wading or shore bird as it walked across the wet sand along the shore of a freshwater lake.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 32104

Bird track markings imprinted across tan sand-dune like rock in a horizontal line.

Horse Jaw

Period: Pliocene
L 279mm (11 in.)

This mandible comes from a species of ancient horse known as Equussimplicidens, also called the Hagerman's Horse. It was slightly smaller than a modern horse, and lived during the Pliocene (3.5 million years ago). This specimen was found in Lake Mead NRA.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

LAKE 32910

Horse jawbone-shaped fossil with teeth-like formations at the top embedded in brown rock with speckles of yellow all throughout.

Columbian Mammoth Humerus

This leg bone of a Columbian mammoth was collected from river alluvium deposits from the Overton Arm of Lake Mead, by UNLV Professor Steve Rowland in 1983. The Columbian mammoth lived in North America between 1.5 million and 12,000 years ago.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

Columbian Mammoth Humerus

Mammoth leg bone-shaped fossil with hues of tan and white mixed throughout.

Columbian Mammoth Tusk

This Columbian mammoth tusk was collected in 1991 from a site north of Echo Bay by a crew from Northern Arizona University. This piece of a tusk is still in the plaster jacket in which it was collected to protect the fossil. The crew also collected rib and other mammoth bone fragments at the same site.

Photographer: Andy Cattoir

Columbian Mammoth Tusk