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Which organism is least likely to produce a fossil? fish sea snail sea star

Ask by Mejia Bowman. in the United States
Mar 14,2025

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Sea stars are least likely to produce fossils because their soft bodies make fossilization less common.

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The sea star is the least likely to produce a fossil among the three options. This is mainly because sea stars have a soft body structure and their calcareous ossicles (small plates) are often not robust enough to survive the fossilization process. Fossils typically form from hard parts like bones or shells, so without those durable characteristics, sea stars often leave little trace behind. On the flip side, fish and sea snails have much harder parts: fish have bones and scales, while sea snails have hard shells that are perfect for fossilization. Their resilient structures can withstand the tests of time, making them far more likely candidates for fossil formation!

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