Description
Mollusc – Wildernessia inexpectans
Early Ordovician (Ozarkian)
Gasconade Formation
Sullivan, Missouri, USA
20mm internal mold of a monoplacophoran on 71mm matrix
Wildernessia inexpectans is a fascinating, extinct monoplacophoran mollusc from the Ordovician period, over 500 million years ago. It had a simple, cap-like shell and crawled along the seafloor, likely feeding on tiny particles. Its discovery was surprising—hence the name inexpectans—and it gives scientists an exciting glimpse into the early evolution of molluscs. Small, ancient, and full of mystery, Wildernessia is a window into Earth’s earliest seas.
