Freshwater Environment - Jehol Biota
Between the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous, a unique terrestrial and freshwater habitat began to emerge in Southeast Asia. Its great biodiversity is exceptionally well preserved in lake sediments in Western Liaoning in North China. The fossil assemblage of the Jehol Biota was first defined by William Grabau in 1923 based on the representative fossil finds of the freshwater Teleost fish Lycoptera and the chonchostracan Eosetheria. The majority of the Mesozoic fossils on our display come from this world renowned fossil assemblage that has provided crucial evidence for some important discoveries in evolutionary history such as the direct ancestors of birds, and the origins of feathers.
Bellamya fengtienensis (Grabau)
Mollusca, Gastropoda (snails), Viviparidae
Lower Cretaceous, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 5cm
Neomiodon fuxinensis
Mollusca, Bivalvia, Heterodonta
Lower Cretaceous, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 5.5cm
Eosestheria changshanziensis Wang
Crustacea, Chonostracea (clam shrimp)
Upper Jurassic, Jehol Biota, China
Size: 3cm
Neocalamites
Insecta, Raphidioptera
Lower Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 53x30cm
Peipiaosteus
Actinopterygii, Acipenseriformes
Upper Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 20.5x11.5cm
Lycoptera davidi
Actinopterygii, Osteoglossomorpha
Lower Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 16x11x1cm
Lycoptera davidi
Actinopterygii, Osteoglossomorpha
Lower Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 13.5x8.5x0.4cm
Lycoptera davidi
Actinopterygii, Osteoglossomorpha
Lower Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 13cm
Lycoptera davidi
Actinopterygii, Osteoglossomorpha
Lower Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: unknown
Lycoptera
Actinopterygii, Osteoglossomorpha
Upper Jurassic, Jehol Biota, Liaoning, China
Size: 25x17cm