ABMAP
The Abalone Mapping Project

Fossil Abalone from Greece
Courtesy Philippos Papanikolaou

The fossil abalone specimen shown below was found by Philippos Papanikolaou, in a sandstone cliff, the "Askitario" site near Rafina, Greece. The site has been dated as Pliocene aged. The fossil is a sandstone matrix internal mould, mounted on an Ostrea shell fragment. It is a mould specimen with the shell dissolved, the most frequent preservation mode of fossil abalone. This is the only trace of Haliotis that Mr. Papanikolaou ever found in this area, and he has been searching it for a while.

My thanks to Philippos Papanikolaou for sharing his find.

Photograph and copyright of photographs with Philippos Papanikolaou.