Paleobase: Macrofossils

PaleoBase is an initiative in the presentation of systematic information on fossil organisms.

It represents the marriage of up-to-date systematic information on a collection of over 1500 fossil genera, colour digital photographs of representative specimens from The Natural History Museum's palaeontological collections, and modern relational database technology.

PaleoBase provides a tool for the teaching of life history in a wide variety of advanced secondary, undergraduate and graduate courses (for example: palaeontology, historical geology, stratigraphy, palaeoceanography, palaeobiogeography). "PaleoBase: Macrofossils" is the first product from the PaleoBase project and is divided into three parts.

It consists of approximately 1000 generic records drawn from the major invertebrate groups.

The genera have been carefully selected to include taxa used in the teaching of palaeontology and historical geology worldwide. "PaleoBase: Macrofossils" gives educators, students and researchers access to a virtual collection of fossils - many of which are actual figured specimens from the 19th and 20th century technical publications that served to originally establish the concepts of these genera. "PaleoBase: Macrofossils, Part 1" contains data on the Arthropods (non-Trilobite), Brachiopods, Bryozoans, Graptolites, Trace Fossils and Trilobites.

Parts two and three cover the remaining fossil groups.

For an online demonstration and guided tour of "PaleoBase: Macrofossils" visit the online site.