PaleoBase: Instructor's Resources

Examples of Student Exercises Using PaleoBase

PaleoBase has been developed primarily as an educational tool. The unique morphological keys, the quality of descriptions, the images, and the powerful search capability together make PaleoBase a powerful new teaching resource. Students can use the search capabilities of the database to assemble information in a variety of ways, and at the same time be taught to think constructively about palaeontological problems and enjoy the experience!

As an instructor you will be able to generate your own PaleoBase exercises, but we show here some examples of what is possible.

Examples of Student Exercises Using PaleoBase

  1. What morphological characteristics might be expected in brachiopods that lay unattached (liberosessile) on the sea-floor? Use the morphological keys (in the step-by-step search window) to select some of these brachiopod genera from the database and refer to the images.
  2. What morphological characteristics might be expected in brachiopods that encrusted hard substrates. Use the morphological key to select some of these genera from the database and refer to the images. (See also Clarkson pp 184-187)
  3. Use PaleoBase to compare the frequency of the liberosessile life-habit in the Paleozoic on the one hand and the Mesozoic on the other. Suggest possible reasons for the difference in frequency.
  4. a) Which Brachiopod Class is characterised by a pseudopunctate shell?
    b) Which Class commonly has a impunctate shell?
    c) Endopunctae are common in which Brachiopod Order?
    d) How useful is shell punctation in brachiopod classification?
  5. What are the two main types of Trilobite eye? The second most frequent type of eye is confined to which Trilobite suborder? What are the differences between the two eye types, compare and contrast using images of Phacops, Cummingella and Nileus.
  6. The Cheilostome bryozoan Chiplonkaria is homeomorphic with Stenolaemate bryozoa. Why? (Clue: compare the morphologies of Chiplonkaria with that of Hallopora and Helopora, for example, and refer to the taxonomy panels in the records for these genera).
  7. Which Order of Bryozoa became dominant in the Mesozoic, and which Order rose to dominanace in the Cenozoic? (Clue: use 'select' menu and refer to the taxonomy panel on the taxon record panels).
  8. Stromatopora is interpreted as an opportunistic species, able to spread rapidly following initial colonisation of the substrate. Examine the images of this genus and suggest morphological evidence for this interpretation.
  9. Describe the distribution of the autozooecial apertures in Spiropora and give an explanation in terms of the functional morphology of the colony.
  10. The growth forms of fenestellid bryozoan colonies may have been adapted for maximising filtration efficiency. Examine the morphology of Archimedes and suggest a mechanism for filtration.
  11. What is the most common Graptolite family in the Silurian. What are the common morphological features that characterise this family?. (Clue: Select Graptolites, then go to the seach step-by-step panel and choose Silurian in Age box. Display the resulting list , then scroll through each of the selected taxon record panels in turn and check out the taxonomy and morphological description of each genus).

Share your own exercises with the Paleobase Community. Email your suggestions to me at