On the way to catch the tram in St Andrews Square, I passed some limestone cladding and stopped to have a look.
GPS reception was somewhat affected by tall buildings, the stone you need to look at is on the right of a large section, near a doorway. The image below will help you locate it.
1) Describe the distinctive fossil on this panel, obscured by the blue rectange. What shape is it, what colour is it? Where is it on the panel (nearer the top or the bottom, nearer the left or the right?)
2) Can you identify the fossil - use the pictures and descriptions below to help you?
3) Limestone is created in marine environments - does the presence of this fossil back this statement up? Give a reason for your answer.
4) Take a photo of yourself at GZ, or an identifying item, being careful not to reveal any of the answers to the questions.
Please submit your answers via message though the Geocaching website or by sending me an email - there is no need to wait for a response before logging your find.
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed from the remains of tiny sea creatures and shells. These remains settle on the ocean floor and build up in layers over millions of years. Over time, pressure turns these layers into solid rock. Limestone can be polished to a smooth, shiny finish and is often used for building cladding due to it's attractive appearance.
Types of Fossils in Limestone
Ammonite
Ammonites were marine creatures with spiral shells that lived in oceans, swimming in open waters and using gas-filled chambers for buoyancy.
Gastropod
Gastropods are mollusks that lived in marine environments, using their coiled shells for protection as they crawled along the ocean floor or attached to rocks.
Belemnite
Belemnite fossils are the remains of extinct marine creatures that lived in oceans during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They were squid-like animals that swam in open waters, using their bullet-shaped internal shells for balance and buoyancy.
Brachipod
A brachiopod fossil is a marine organism's shell, typically symmetrical and resembling a clam.
Coral
A coral fossil in limestone looks like a rough, circular pattern with ridges and grooves.