Earth Collections: Ordovician database

The Ordovician Period extended from 490-440 million years ago. The Ordovician database presently has 2,356 records. Most of the material is from the United Kingdom, and was introduced into the Museum from the late 19th century. Nearly all the major elements of the biota that existed in Ordovician times are represented by at least some material in the collections, with the graptolites, and especially the trilobites being the most notable.

Of the graptolites, most significant is a collection of Middle Ordovician species from Peru that was described in the early 1930s by J. A. Douglas, and also O. M. B. Bulman. The trilobite specimens have many famous names from the 19th century associated with them, either as donors, or more commonly as the authors who variously figured, described or cited them. Henry Hicks, Theodore Groom, John Salter, and Alexandre Brongniart are some of these. Later authors of note who have published on the Ordovician trilobite material include Christian Poulsen, Harry Whittington, and Frank Whittard. Poulsen's specimens are from the Canadian Arctic, whilst those of the others are largely from the Anglo-Welsh area.

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