Texas Fossils: An Amateur Collector's Handbook

by William Henry Matthews

Invertebrate Paleontology

This is the study of [fossil] animals without a backbone or spinal column. These include such forms as fossil protozoans (tiny one-celled animals), snails, clams, starfish, and worms, and usually represent the remains of animals that lived in prehistoric seas.

Because invertebrate remains are the most common fossils in Texas, this book is devoted largely to the discussion of invertebrate fossils and their method of collection.

[Vertebrate] Paleontology

The [vertebrate] paleontologist studies the fossils of animals which possessed a backbone or spinal column. The remains of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are typical vertebrate fossils.