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Geology of KwaZulu-Natal |
| Zululand group - the Indian Ocean is born |
Cretaceous |
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The first deposits formed in the newly opened Indian Ocean were silt- and sandstone of Cretaceous age (145-65 million years ago). These marine sediments were deposited at the same time that the largest dinosaurs roamed the land. |
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During this time, huge snail-like animals up to a metre in size called ammonites (left), thrived in the warm ocean. Their shells are common in almost all exposures of Cretaceous rocks, such as along the shorelines surrounding Lake St Lucia.
A wide range of evidence indicates that 65 million years ago a large meteorite impact at Chicxulub, Mexico resulted in a worldwide extinction of most organisms including ammonites and dinosaurs. |
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Ammonite Mortoniceras (Cretaceous) Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal |
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Ammonite Model |
Fossils from the Zululand group at Lake St. Lucia |
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last updated:
26 Sep 2006
© School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal
The website was designed and compiled by Dr. G. Whitmore, Ms D. Meth and Dr. R. Uken (modified by T. Reinhardt.)