Moodies Crinkles Barberton South Africa [51 gm ~ 3.22 Ga]

Moodies Crinkle Ancient Fossil Microbial Mats

The Moodies Group fossil microbial mats represent one of the oldest traces of terrestrial life, dating back approximately 3.22 billion years. These ancient mats contains a wide variety of well-preserved sedimentary structures that are easily visible. This specimen offers an important and fantastic window into the land-adapted microbial life from our early Earth. The Moodies crinkles were one of the forerunners to the evolving life and stromatolites.

Moodies Crinkles: A Unique Geological Feature

The "Moodies crinkles" are siliciclastic terrestrial mats from the Dycedale Syncline. They differ from their "cousin," the Saddleback Syncline fossil microbial mats, which were restricted to a shallow aquatic environment. The significant difference between these two fascinating synclines and their microbial mat structures is that they represent a morphological transition from an aquatic to a terrestrial environment.

Evolution from Aquatic to Terrestrial Life

The evolution from an aquatic to a land environment required more structure and morphological change. The microstructures reveal a denser, interwoven mesh containing fine-grained particles mixed with filamentous strands that gripped various biofilm forms. The preserved land-dwelling carbonaceous mats are thicker than mats formed by marine-dwelling microbial life (Saddleback Syncline).

Product Details

• Size: 58mm L X 53mm W X 8mm D
• Weight: 51 grams
• Finish: This specimen was professionally trimmed and diamond polished smooth both sides. 
• Notice: This material was legally collected and obtained in a materials trade with a scientific institution.

Included with Your Purchase

This specimen ships with a Certificate of Authenticity, tag stand, and information about the specimen. In-situ photos and copies of relevant scientific articles are also included. Please note that the specimen stand and photo cube are not included.

Own the Premier Moodies Crinkles

Own a premier Moodies Crinkles specimen for your collection - one of the oldest microbial mats on land from early Earth!

This scientific material is Guaranteed Authentic. It was professionally and legally collected and arrives with a Certificate of Authenticity.