Locul fosilifer Cernegura, Paleontological nature reserve in Piatra Neamț, Romania
Locul fosilifer Cernegura is a paleontological reserve in central Neamț County, preserving sedimentary rock layers with fossilized marine life from the Oligocene epoch. The area covers forested hillsides where exposed rock formations mark the spots scientists document and recover fossils.
Scientific work at the site began in 1883 when the first finds were documented. Paleontologists including Leon Cosmovici and Mihai Ciobanu catalogued dozens of fish species and other marine creatures in the following decades from the time when the Paratethys Sea covered this region.
Specimens collected from this site appear in the Natural Sciences Museum of Piatra Neamț, where school groups and researchers study them. The collection displays fossilized marine remains that help visitors imagine what this region looked like millions of years ago.
Marked paths lead through the reserve and allow visitors to reach the spots where rock layers are visible. Guided tours provide explanations about the geological structures and the meaning of the fossil finds made here.
The reserve holds remains of subtropical creatures that once swam or lived on the Paratethys Sea floor, including crabs, turtles, and even birds. The variety of species found here spans 44 genera, showing the richness of this vanished ecosystem.
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