Oysters, Gryphaea sp

Known informally as, “devil’s toenails” this fossil is extremely abundant in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. It is an oyster with a large, upper shell and a small trap door on the backside. The shells show the growth lines as the animals increased in size and is also the topic of some very imaginative stories, once you tell the kids the common name.

Demos & Labs: Labs: Oyster Line Up Shark Tooth Jambalaya. Fossil Profile: Oysters