This is the “Fossil Friday” post #234.  Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website.  We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com.  Please include a short description or story.  Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

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Today’s fossil is a sweet little Neuropteris ovata from the famous lower beds of the Mazon River.  N. ovata was a seed fern, which was a group of seed bearing plants that look very similar to true ferns.  They were most common during the Carboniferous when they made up part of the understory of the rain forests.  After arising during the Devonian, this group declined during Mesozoic Era and finally going mostly extinct at the end of the Cretaceous Period.  For more, see Mazon Monday #85.

This beautiful fossil was collected by Becky Monroe a few years ago at one of the Canal Corridor charity benefits held at the Kodat farm.  Thanks for sharing, Becky!