Page 312 - Atlas of Creation Volume 1

FOSSIL SPECIMENS DISCOVERED IN BRAZIL

Brazil's geological structure exhibits a similarity to that of the South American plateau. More than
half of the country's rock formations formed in the Precambrian Period (4.6 billion to 543 million years

ago). Brazil's lower stratum consists of metamorphic and igneous rocks, with a stratum of sedimentary
rock on top: Some sedimentary rock layers date back to the Precambrian, while others formed more
recently.
A large number of Precambrian microfossil (belonging to microscopic organisms) zones have been

identified from rocks in the Sao Francisco region. Two other major fossil fields in Brazil are the Santana
and Crato formations.
In the Santana Formation, which lies in the Araripe Basin, the majority of the fossils date back to the
Cretaceous Period (146 to 65 million years ago). One significant feature of the Santana Formation is that

it contains well-preserved fossil specimens of more than 25 species of fish. The Santana Formation fossils
also include various reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and plants.
Until recently, the Crato Formation was considered part of the Santana Formation. However,
research in this area has revealed strata containing fossil insects that lived in the very earliest times. This

During researches made in the Araripe BRAZIL
region, well-preserved fossils of more than
25 fish species were uncovered.

BOLIVIA

PARAGUAY

ARGENTINA
THE ATLANTIC
OCEAN

One of the important fossil areas in the
Araripe region is in Ceara.

310 Atlas of Creation