Devonian Sea Life

New York’s Devonian Sea Life

The Devonian fossil record of New York is famous amongst both professional paleontologists and avocational fossil collectors. At some locations, fossils can be found on almost every rock! The rocks of our region document life in and around a huge ancient sea. Paleontologists have used these fossils to understand both ancient life forms and ecosystems, as well as to investigate what the Earth itself was like during the Devonian. Avocational paleontologists have developed extensive personal collections of Devonian fossils from New York, sometimes devoting countless hours to curating and preparing these fossils. These collections are sometimes donated to museums like ours, making them accessible to scientists from all over the world.