Fossil-rich marl. Sample of marl (marlstone) containing various fossils. Marl is a calcium carbonate-rich, mudstone formed from sedimentary deposits.

---

Fossil-rich marl. Sample of marl (marlstone) containing various fossils. Marl is a calcium carbonate-rich, mudstone formed from sedimentary deposits. As marl is formed at the bottom of bodies of water, it often contains many examples of fossilised aquatic animals (as shown). The most common form of fossilisation occurs when the hard parts of an organism are replaced with minerals present in the sediment. Over many thousands of years these minerals harden to form rock.

---

Size: 5150px × 3433px
Photo credit: © DIRK WIERSMA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, animals, biological, biology, calcium, carbonate, fauna, fossil, fossilised, fossilized, fossils, geological, geology, invertebrate, invertebrates, marl, mudstone, nature, palaeontological, palaeontology, palaeozoology, paleontological, paleontology, rock, sedimentary, stone, zoological, zoology