Oysters of Long-Lost Seas
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Oysters of Long-Lost Seas
This virtual exhibition by the Croatian Natural History Museum brings visitors
closer to the fascinating world of fossil oysters and their important role in
understanding Earth’s geological past.
About the exhibition
While the Croatian Natural History Museum is undergoing renovation, it has brought
its rich holdings closer to the public through virtual exhibitions.
One of them is “Oysters of Long-Lost Seas”, dedicated to the fascinating
world of fossil oysters and their role in understanding Earth’s geological past.
The exhibition presents selected fossil representatives of the group
Ostreida — oysters — from the Cenozoic, the youngest geological era,
which began 66 million years ago.
Fossil oysters
Today’s oysters mostly live in shallow coastal areas, attached to a substrate.
By studying their way of life, scientists can reconstruct the environments in
which their fossil relatives once lived.
The exhibition presents specimens from the holdings of the Croatian Natural
History Museum, as well as samples from comparative collections from France
and Italy.
Miocene seas of northern Croatia
Particularly interesting are finds from the Miocene deposits of northern Croatia,
where fossil oysters are very common and represent an important source of
information about former marine ecosystems.
The scientific importance of oysters
Oysters are among the most resilient marine organisms and have successfully
survived major environmental changes for millions of years.
Their shells fossilize easily, which makes them extremely important for geological
research.
Shells as records of the past
By analyzing growth layers in their shells, similar to tree rings, scientists
can study changes in sea temperature and climate conditions throughout
geological history.
This makes oysters a valuable tool in the study of ancient environments and
climate change.
What can you discover?
How fossil oysters lived.
What the seas of the geological past were like.
Why oysters successfully survived numerous crisis periods.
How fossils help reconstruct climate change.
Interesting facts about geology and the history of life on Earth.
Authors
Marija Bošnjak, Jasenka Sremac, Nediljka Prlj Šimić, Davor Vrsaljko
Petar Crnčan, Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli, Donat Petricioli
Virtual exhibition
Exhibition: Oysters of Long-Lost Seas
Format: Virtual exhibition
Museum: Croatian Natural History Museum
By exploring the available content, visitors can learn what happened, when,
how and why, as well as many other interesting facts related to geology and
the geological past of our planet.
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Authors
Marija Bošnjak, Jasenka Sremac, Nediljka Prlj Šimić, Davor Vrsaljko