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Paleontology in New Hampshire

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497: 20: 238:. Sites where these types of Devonian fossils have been found include the Tip Top Farm 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of Littleton and Mormon Hill 6 miles (10 km) to the southwest of Littleton. Another source of contemporary fossils is located two miles west of 254:. As this uplift proceeded local sediments started eroding away rather than being deposited, so New Hampshire has no rock record from this interval of time in which fossils might have been preserved. 732: 293:
Canada. This is supported by fossil plants and pollen preserved in sediments deposited when the glaciers melted. Large megafauna roamed the area during interglacial periods, such as
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rocks formed too recently to have been subject to the same metamorphism. Nevertheless, despite the geologic complications some fossils have been discovered in the state.
1050: 725: 378:. The shells were often disarticulated, likely due to the action of ancient currents. The rocks preserving this unusual find consist of a unit of "coarsely 135:. Other notable finds include fossils preserved in metamorphic rock that are still recognizable despite the extreme geologic forces exerted on these rocks. 718: 261:, so the state has almost no rock record from this entire era of geologic time. The few rocks present were igneous and likely formed as a result of the 1045: 273:
fossils have ever been discovered in New Hampshire. No other fossils are known from this scant rock record either. Local erosion continued into the
640: 1035: 195:. Four other sites in the Fitch Formation bear fossils in New Hampshire apart from the one northwest of Littleton. One is a source of crinoid 159:. However, it can be easily inferred based on data from the neighboring states that New Hampshire was probably covered by a warm shallow sea. 800: 367:, geologists made a fossil discovery in the far western region of New Hampshire that they regarded as wholly "unique". They had observed a 705: 985: 469: 741: 670: 1016: 910: 950: 915: 990: 855: 515: 955: 945: 940: 920: 870: 785: 443: 428: 215:
on the eastern bank of the Ammonoosuc River. Lastly, an additional source of crinoid columnals exists a mile west of
424: 905: 900: 775: 413:, while in 2014 a mammoth tooth was found. There was an unsuccessful push to designate mastodon the state fossil. 995: 960: 865: 840: 473: 239: 621: 980: 930: 885: 875: 860: 850: 835: 815: 790: 780: 770: 478: 464: 447: 337: 216: 192: 132: 1000: 975: 880: 820: 795: 765: 755: 520: 128: 935: 890: 830: 805: 760: 24: 965: 845: 810: 510: 432: 341: 204: 113: 970: 925: 825: 482: 451: 364: 349: 345: 310: 243: 188: 76:, New Hampshire was covered by a warm, shallow sea that would come to be inhabited by creatures like 502: 208: 700: 196: 666: 371: 66: 1010: 402: 386: 375: 374:
rich in brachiopod shells that were still "generally identifiable" despite being subject to
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is another source of crinoid columnals. Two miles northeast of Lisbon crinoid columnals and
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were first reported to the scientific literature by F. H. Lahee. Several decades later, in
96:. Geologic forces raised the local elevation during the Devonian, and local sediments were 410: 223: 121: 58: 34: 406: 294: 1029: 368: 247: 184: 156: 151:. This is because all of the local rocks that formed during this interval are either 144: 42: 710: 379: 356: 231: 127:
New Hampshire fossils had attracted scientific attention by the late 1800s when
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Hunting for Fossils: A Guide to Finding and Collecting Fossils in All 50 States
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away from the state rather than deposited, leading to a gap in the local
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its rocks and the fossils they contain "a difficult task." The state's
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are very rare in New Hampshire because so much of the state's
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era. There is no local rock record for the entirety of the
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Paleontological research in the U.S. state of New Hampshire
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research occurring within or conducted by people from the
112:, leaving few rocks of that age, and no fossils. By the 679:
Springer, Dale. July 21, 2006. "New Hampshire, US."
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Weishampel and Young (1996); "Introduction", page 2.
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2.3 miles (3.7 km) west of Littleton along the
57:. The state's complicated geologic history has made 1009: 748: 131:reported local invertebrate remains preserved near 463:The Little Nature Museum at Gould Hill Orchards, 226:triggered a mountain-building episode during the 336:discovered 1.7 miles (2.7 km) northwest of 289:. The local plant life resembled that of modern 183:. These all left their remains in what is now a 191:at a site 1.7 miles (2.7 km) northwest of 726: 622:"Woolly mammoth tooth found in New Hampshire" 8: 564:Springer (2006); "Paleontology and geology". 65:rocks are especially metamorphosed, yet its 1041:Paleontology in the United States by state 733: 719: 711: 163:New Hampshire was home to creatures like 1051:Science and technology in New Hampshire 686:Weishampel, D.B. & L. Young. 1996. 531: 285:, New Hampshire was largely covered by 120:and had similar wildlife to the modern 690:. The Johns Hopkins University Press. 313:, C. H. Hitchcock first reported the 230:. Devonian New Hampshire was home to 116:, the state was being worked over by 7: 615: 613: 344:. In the twentieth century, between 470:Squam Lakes Natural Science Center 246:. Uplift continued throughout the 14: 742:Paleontology in the United States 639:Brooks, David (January 6, 2021). 1046:Natural history of New Hampshire 595: 579:; "New Hampshire", page 195-196. 576: 541: 495: 104:. Erosion continued through the 701:Geologic units in New Hampshire 620:Ramer, Holly (August 2, 2014). 683:. Accessed September 21, 2012. 665:. Collier Books. p. 348. 405:. It likely dates back to the 147:dating before or to the early 1: 1036:Paleontology in New Hampshire 516:Paleontology in Massachusetts 31:Paleontology in New Hampshire 598:; "New Hampshire", page 196. 544:; "New Hampshire", page 195. 242:on the northeastern side of 688:Dinosaurs of the East Coast 429:University of New Hampshire 257:Erosion continued into the 1067: 706:Paleoportal: New Hampshire 211:can be found preserved in 281:. During the more recent 203:. One mile northeast of 681:The Paleontology Portal 661:Murray, Marian (1974). 521:Paleontology in Vermont 458:Natural history museums 27: 25:state of New Hampshire 511:Paleontology in Maine 342:scientific literature 143:New Hampshire has no 108:and the early to mid 22: 416:A skull cast of the 23:The location of the 503:Paleontology portal 352:, New Hampshire's 28: 1023: 1022: 479:Woodman Institute 224:geological uplift 72:During the early 1058: 1017:Washington, D.C. 1011:Federal district 735: 728: 721: 712: 676: 649: 648: 636: 630: 629: 617: 608: 605: 599: 593: 580: 574: 565: 562: 545: 539: 505: 500: 499: 498: 423:is displayed in 403:Clough Formation 359:, crinoids, and 234:, crinoids, and 201:Ammonoosuc River 187:unit called the 1066: 1065: 1061: 1060: 1059: 1057: 1056: 1055: 1026: 1025: 1024: 1019: 1005: 744: 739: 697: 673: 660: 657: 652: 638: 637: 633: 619: 618: 611: 606: 602: 594: 583: 575: 568: 563: 548: 540: 533: 529: 501: 496: 494: 491: 460: 441: 411:Isles of Shoals 307: 295:woolly mammoths 244:Dalton Mountain 189:Fitch Formation 141: 129:C. 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Hitchcock 122:Canadian Arctic 35:paleontological 17: 12: 11: 5: 1064: 1062: 1054: 1053: 1048: 1043: 1038: 1028: 1027: 1021: 1020: 1015: 1013: 1007: 1006: 1004: 1003: 998: 993: 988: 983: 978: 973: 968: 963: 958: 953: 951:South Carolina 948: 943: 938: 933: 928: 923: 918: 916:North Carolina 913: 908: 903: 898: 893: 888: 883: 878: 873: 868: 863: 858: 853: 848: 843: 838: 833: 828: 823: 818: 813: 808: 803: 798: 793: 788: 783: 778: 773: 768: 763: 758: 752: 750: 746: 745: 740: 738: 737: 730: 723: 715: 709: 708: 703: 696: 695:External links 693: 692: 691: 684: 677: 671: 656: 653: 651: 650: 631: 609: 600: 581: 566: 546: 530: 528: 525: 524: 523: 518: 513: 507: 506: 490: 487: 486: 485: 476: 467: 459: 456: 440: 437: 407:Early Silurian 306: 303: 140: 137: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1063: 1052: 1049: 1047: 1044: 1042: 1039: 1037: 1034: 1033: 1031: 1018: 1014: 1012: 1008: 1002: 999: 997: 994: 992: 991:West Virginia 989: 987: 984: 982: 979: 977: 974: 972: 969: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 944: 942: 939: 937: 934: 932: 929: 927: 924: 922: 919: 917: 914: 912: 909: 907: 904: 902: 899: 897: 896:New Hampshire 894: 892: 889: 887: 884: 882: 879: 877: 874: 872: 869: 867: 864: 862: 859: 857: 856:Massachusetts 854: 852: 849: 847: 844: 842: 839: 837: 834: 832: 829: 827: 824: 822: 819: 817: 814: 812: 809: 807: 804: 802: 799: 797: 794: 792: 789: 787: 784: 782: 779: 777: 774: 772: 769: 767: 764: 762: 759: 757: 754: 753: 751: 747: 743: 736: 731: 729: 724: 722: 717: 716: 713: 707: 704: 702: 699: 698: 694: 689: 685: 682: 678: 674: 672:9780020935506 668: 664: 659: 658: 654: 646: 642: 635: 632: 627: 626:Daily Gazette 623: 616: 614: 610: 604: 601: 597: 596:Murray (1974) 592: 590: 588: 586: 582: 578: 577:Murray (1974) 573: 571: 567: 561: 559: 557: 555: 553: 551: 547: 543: 542:Murray (1974) 538: 536: 532: 526: 522: 519: 517: 514: 512: 509: 508: 504: 493: 488: 484: 480: 477: 475: 471: 468: 466: 462: 461: 457: 455: 453: 450:on August 7, 449: 445: 438: 436: 434: 430: 426: 422: 419: 414: 412: 408: 404: 401:" called the 400: 396: 392: 388: 384: 381: 377: 373: 370: 369:stratigraphic 366: 362: 358: 355: 351: 347: 343: 339: 335: 331: 327: 323: 319: 316: 312: 304: 302: 300: 296: 292: 288: 284: 280: 276: 272: 268: 265:that divided 264: 260: 255: 253: 249: 248:Carboniferous 245: 241: 237: 233: 229: 225: 220: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 198: 194: 190: 186: 185:stratigraphic 182: 178: 174: 170: 166: 162: 158: 157:metamorphosed 154: 150: 146: 145:fossil record 138: 136: 134: 130: 125: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 103: 99: 95: 91: 87: 83: 79: 75: 70: 68: 67:Mississippian 64: 60: 56: 52: 48: 44: 43:New Hampshire 40: 36: 32: 26: 21: 956:South Dakota 946:Rhode Island 941:Pennsylvania 921:North Dakota 895: 687: 662: 645:Granite Geek 644: 634: 625: 603: 442: 415: 397:, and other 376:metamorphism 357:branchiopods 308: 256: 232:branchiopods 221: 209:chain corals 142: 126: 71: 30: 29: 871:Mississippi 786:Connecticut 380:crystalline 318:brachiopods 165:brachiopods 155:or heavily 102:rock record 78:brachiopods 55:metamorphic 1030:Categories 986:Washington 906:New Mexico 901:New Jersey 776:California 655:References 474:Holderness 444:James Hall 425:James Hall 421:Tylosaurus 395:hornblende 361:gastropods 334:trilobites 283:Quaternary 240:Whitefield 236:gastropods 222:Forces of 181:trilobites 139:Prehistory 94:trilobites 53:is highly 39:U.S. state 33:refers to 996:Wisconsin 961:Tennessee 866:Minnesota 841:Louisiana 527:Footnotes 465:Hopkinton 448:Bethlehem 338:Littleton 322:bryozoans 299:mastodons 217:Franconia 197:columnals 193:Littleton 169:bryozoans 149:Paleozoic 133:Littleton 82:bryozoans 74:Paleozoic 981:Virginia 931:Oklahoma 911:New York 886:Nebraska 876:Missouri 861:Michigan 851:Maryland 836:Kentucky 816:Illinois 791:Delaware 781:Colorado 771:Arkansas 489:See also 446:died in 418:mosasaur 399:minerals 354:Devonian 330:crinoids 315:Silurian 287:glaciers 279:Tertiary 275:Cenozoic 271:dinosaur 259:Mesozoic 228:Devonian 177:crinoids 161:Silurian 118:glaciers 110:Cenozoic 106:Mesozoic 90:crinoids 63:Devonian 1001:Wyoming 976:Vermont 881:Montana 821:Indiana 801:Georgia 796:Florida 766:Arizona 756:Alabama 427:at the 383:calcite 372:horizon 340:to the 305:History 267:Pangaea 263:rifting 252:Permian 153:igneous 114:Ice Age 51:geology 47:Fossils 936:Oregon 891:Nevada 831:Kansas 806:Hawaii 761:Alaska 749:States 669:  439:People 433:Durham 391:quartz 387:matrix 332:, and 326:corals 291:arctic 213:marble 205:Lisbon 179:, and 173:corals 98:eroded 92:, and 86:corals 59:dating 966:Texas 846:Maine 811:Idaho 483:Dover 385:in a 269:. No 971:Utah 926:Ohio 826:Iowa 667:ISBN 452:1898 365:1958 350:1913 348:and 346:1912 311:1873 297:and 250:and 389:of 309:In 41:of 1032:: 643:. 624:. 612:^ 584:^ 569:^ 549:^ 534:^ 481:, 472:, 454:. 435:. 431:, 393:, 328:, 324:, 320:, 301:. 219:. 175:, 171:, 167:, 124:. 88:, 84:, 80:, 45:. 734:e 727:t 720:v 675:. 647:. 628:.

Index


state of New Hampshire
paleontological
U.S. state
New Hampshire
Fossils
geology
metamorphic
dating
Devonian
Mississippian
Paleozoic
brachiopods
bryozoans
corals
crinoids
trilobites
eroded
rock record
Mesozoic
Cenozoic
Ice Age
glaciers
Canadian Arctic
C. H. Hitchcock
Littleton
fossil record
Paleozoic
igneous
metamorphosed

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