Brachiopods are shellfish that were extremely common when the Pahasapa Limestone was formed. The calcium from the shells and bones of dead sea creatures were crushed by pressure to create the limestone that Wind Cave sits in. These are the most common fossils seen in the cave and are one to two inches wide on average. Most species of brachiopods are extinct.
U.S. National Park Service
Permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this website. Digital assets without any copyright restrictions are public domain.