Biomineralization
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Biomineralization: Complete conversion of organic substances to inorganic derivatives by living organisms, especially micro-organisms.
Fossil skeletal parts from extinct belemnite cephalopods of the Jurassic – these contain mineralized calcite and aragonite.
Many protists, like this coccolithophore, have protective mineralised shells.
Forams from a beach
Many invertebrate animals have external exoskeletons or shells, which achieve rigidity by a variety of mineralisations.
Belemnitida
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Belemnitida is an extinct order of squid-like cephalopods that existed from the Late Triassic to Late Cretaceous. Unlike squid, belemnites had an internal skeleton that made up the cone. The parts are
Biomineralization
…Complete conversion of organic substances to inorganic derivatives by living organisms, especially micro-organisms. Fossil skeletal parts from extinct belemnite cephalopods of the Jurassic – these contain mineralized calcite and aragonite. Biomineralization, also written biomineralisation, is the process by which living…
Passaloteuthis bisulcata
Reconstruction of the belemnite Passaloteuthis
The Jurassic Youngibelus reconstructed with hectocotyli
Cephalopod embryonic shells. A) Ammonoidea (B) Sepiida (C) Belemnoidea (D) Spirulida (E) Orthocerida (F) Nautilida (G) Oncocerida (H) Pseudorthocerida (I) Oegopsina (J) Bactritida. IC indicates the initial chamber.