Near Flower's Cove in CensusDiv 9 - Northern Peninsula-St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)

Thrombolites or Living Rocks

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2014

1. Thrombolites or Living Rocks Marker

Inscription. These are critically endangered microbial structures. Thrombolites-building micro-organisms resemble the earliest form of life on Earth. These organisms were the only known form of life from 3.5 billion to 650 million years ago. These are some of the earth’s most primitive life forms. Thrombolites (meaning clotted structure) are large bun shaped Cambrian mounds weathering out of flat lying dolostones. They were the growth form of millions of tiny algae and bacteria. These structures are not exactly fossils, but they are evidence for biological activity. These unicellular critters have left a good size trace of their existance (sic) in the fossil record. Thrombo, meaning clotted, indicates an internal structure without lamination. The darker colored, more rounded boulder is a glacial erratic brought here during the Pleistocene glaciation. The furrows, that contain mud-cracked material and radiate from the centre and down the sides, may be drainage channels. These organisms are thought to have thrived in the tidal and subtidal zone of a warm, very salty sea, some being exposed at low tide, and covered at high tide, thus explaining

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

the mud cracks. The larger one may be several communities that amalgamated as they grew.
When you look across the bay to the south, you can see another large colony of Thrombolites on the shore. You can walk out to the small point where there is a fish hut built on a collection of mounds. Here the Thrombolites are not standing as high, but they are more numerous.
These structures are very, very rare. One other place in which they grow is Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, Western Australia.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Paleontology.

Location. 51° 17.584′ N, 56° 44.542′ W. Marker is near Flower's Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, in CensusDiv 9 - Northern Peninsula-St. Anthony. It can be reached from Newfoundland and Labrador Route 430, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Flower's Cove NL A0K 3N0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Atlantic Canada.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2014

2. Thrombolites or Living Rocks Marker

The marker is near the right edge of the picture.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony

and also the Viceroyalty of New France.

Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 23 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Diaphone (approx. 20.3 kilometers away); The Marconi Station (approx. 20.4 kilometers away); L’Anse Amour Burial (approx. 22.5 kilometers away); L'anse Amour (approx. 22.6 kilometers away).

More about this marker. To reach the Thrombolites look for the signs along the highway near the south end of Flower's Cove. Take the unnamed road toward the water (left when heading north). From the parking lot, take the boardwalk, cross over the Marjorie footbridge and continue to the left along the beach.

Also see . . . Linda Moore explains how the Thrombolites of Lake Clifton differ from Shark Bay Stromatolites - YouT. The late Dr Linda Moore (1956-2010) discusses her research on the thrombolites of Lake Clifton, Western Australia with Karina Kelly on the ABC program "Quantum" broadcast on 26th April 1989. She demonstrates how the Clifton Thrombolites differ from the Stromatolites of Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay. This

Thrombolites image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2014

3. Thrombolites

is a 6 minute video clip. (Submitted on December 11, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2014

4. Thrombolites

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2014

5. Thrombolites

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2014

6. Thrombolites

Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 11, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,450 times since then and 61 times this year. Last updated on December 14, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 11, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.