GETXO

NUMMULITES, FOSSIL COINS

NUMMULITES FROM PUNTA-GALEA - TUNELBOKA

There are fossils from around the cliffs over the Tunelboka beach that are called nummulites (nummus means coin in Latin) because of their flat round shape. Even though it sounds hard to believe, they were single cell organisms! They had a spiral shell.

These coin shaped sea animals didn't live in the area where the rocks they are found in were formed, rather they were dragged by currents from the continental platform.

In this area you can see good fossils of these little creatures, for whose genus more than ten different species have been identified.

Remember, if you find one don't take it with you. They've been in the same place for millions of years and they should stay where they are.