Shell Fossils in Seogwipo Formation, Jeju

The Shell Fossils in Seogwipo Formation, Jeju refers to fossils of shellfish found in the cliffs on the southwestern coast of Seogwipo-si. Sedimentary rock strata are exposed in these cliffs, with the rough surface covered by basalt. Many animal fossils, mainly shellfish, have been found in this fossil layer. The strata are estimated to have been deposited together with fossil organisms about 2 to 3 million years ago; the layer, having since risen by about 100 m, was eroded by waves to form the cliffs. Fossils found in the Seogwipo Formation include bivalves; gastropods such as snails, abalones and mud snails; scaphopods; brachiopods; echinoderms such as sea urchins, sea cucumbers and starfish; coral fossils; whale and fish bones; and shark teeth. Microfossils include foraminifera, single-celled organisms that live in the sea. These shellfish species still exist today, but most are not found along the nearby coast and instead occur in warmer seas further south, indicating that the sea was warmer at the time the Seogwipo Formation was deposited than it is today. The shell fossils of the Seogwipo Formation are valuable academic material, providing insight into the environment at the time of deposition and the marine life that once lived there. Note: the official designation name was revised on 26 July 2021.

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Where it is

Region

Seogwipo, Jeju

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물