Lochriea

Lochriea is an extinct group of small, ancient sea creatures called conodonts. These tiny animals lived in the oceans millions of years ago and are known only from their fossil remains. Conodonts, like Lochriea, are important to scientists because their fossils help us understand how life evolved long before dinosaurs existed. Studying these fossils gives clues about the ancient seas and the creatures that lived there.

Use in stratigraphy

The Visean, the second age of the Mississippian, has four zones based on tiny ancient creatures called conodonts. Two of these zones are named after species of Lochriea:

• the zone of Lochriea nodosa
• the zone of Lochriea commutata

The Serpukhovian, the third and last age of the Mississippian, has three conodont zones. One of these is named after a Lochriea species:

• the zone of Lochriea ziegleri