Triassic Fossils
Late in the Triassic into the Jurassic, North America and Europe began to split apart to form the Atlantic Ocean. (The oldest deposits in the Atlantic Ocean are Jurassic.) Rift valleys and volcanoes similar to the rift valleys in east Africa formed as the plates moved apart. Lake sediments and basalt along eastern North America are evidence of this tectonic action. Ganoid fish are common fossils and dinosaur foot prints are common trace fossils.
The Triassic Period is the opening act of the Mesozoic Era starting 252 million years ago. The dinosaurs appear in the Triassic and rule for over 180 million years until a meteor ended their reign.
