====== Aspidella ======

//Aspidella// are believed to be fossils of organisms which lived in watery environments around 600 million years ago.

They are found in shale and slate deposits, and are small (1 - 180mm diameter ) disc shaped indentations with prominent star-like ridges.

They were first described in 1872 after findings in Newfoundland. At the time, many geologists thought that they were inorganic in nature - perhaps the imprints of gas-escape bubbles.

Modern-day opinions lean towards the idea they may have been jellyfish-like organisms - or possibly anemone-like.

Note that some fossils have recently been suggested to show possible movement 'trails'  - [[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicole-Law-3/publication/337216815_EVIDENCE_FOR_MOVEMENT_IN_THE_EDIACARAN_FROND_BASE_ASPIDELLA_FROM_BOSTON_BAY_MASSACHUSETTS/links/5e388807a6fdccd965846706/EVIDENCE-FOR-MOVEMENT-IN-THE-EDIACARAN-FROND-BASE-ASPIDELLA-FROM-BOSTON-BAY-MASSACHUSETTS.pdf|ref.]]

More info. see: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspidella|Wikipedia]]