Brachiopods

These little fossil marine creatures once lived in an inland sea that covered most of Michigan and are found in outcrops in the area of the Stonington Peninsula of Michigan's South Central Upper Peninsula.

Brachiopods are washed out of the Paleozoic Limestone Bedrock and Clifts of the Stonington Formation Richmond Group, Cincinnatian Series, of the late Ordovician Period from 350 to 450 Million years ago, and then tumbled by the waters of Little Bay de Noc and the Northern waters of Lake Michigan's Green Bay. The background is of the Stonington shore from the pubic boat launch.

Background Image
Stonington Formation from the Public Boat Launch.

Some of the Brachiopods are close to perfect and look to be alive today. There are quite a number of different specie of Brachiopods and they vary considerably in their characteristics. Brachiopod fossils of different species will vary in size from approximately 1/2 inch to about 3 inches.