Gigantoproductus
What was it?
A sea creature that developed two hard shells. It looks like many sea shells (eg cockles and mussels) but it isn’t; it’s a separate group of animals completely called brachiopods. It grew up to 15 cm across.
How old is it?
Gigantoproductus lived about 325 million years ago in the Carboniferous period, but its ancestors go back much further than that, maybe 600 million years. Back then, before life on land existed, brachiopods were one of the most common animals on our planet.
Where did it live?
It lived at the bottom of the sea and used its muscular foot to cling on to the rocks. There were so many that they sometimes formed reefs.
Where are the fossils found?
Gigantoproductus is one of the most common fossils you can find in Northumberland, because we have a lot of Carboniferous limestone. You can find it in the rocks on the coast at Howick, or Scremerston and in disused old limestone quarries inland, like Green Carts.
Are these animals still alive today?
Not Gigantoproductus, but brachiopods are. They are uncommon in British seas and live in cold water regions nearer the poles. While there have been more than 30,000 species of brachiopods in Earth’s history there are probably less than 400 species alive today.