A Coleção Paleontológica do Museu de Ciências Naturais e de História Barra do Jardim da Fundação Francisco de Lima Botelho, Jardim, Ceará, Brasil

Abstract

The Museu de Ciências Naturais e de História Barra do Jardim was created on October 27, 2001 and has the mission of rescuing, preserve and promoting local culture. It is located in the urban and historical area of the municipality of Jardim and belongs to the Francisco de Lima Botelho Foundation. The geological importance of the municipality is widely known in the context of the Araripe Sedimentary Basin for the classic outcrops of the Romualdo Formation, such as Sobradinho Site, and for the reasonable presence of fossils. Despite this, the municipality is not included in territory of the Araripe Global Geopark, but still has the support of various segments of society to preserve and promote its historical and natural heritage, the fossils of the Araripe Sedimentary Basin. This work aims to present the paleontological collection of the museum, which currently has 375 specimens cataloged with data on geological and geographical origin, specific taxonomic identification or at higher levels (phyla, genus or family), and in many cases, collector and date of collection. The paleontological collection consists mostly of fish (62.2%), followed by plants (10%), reptiles (7.7%), in addition to ichnofossils (8.2%), arthropods (5.8%), molluscs (4%) and others (3%), including the crustacean holotype Araripenaeus timidus. This collection reflects the fossiliferous diversity of the Romualdo Formation, coming from 11 sites in the municipality of Jardim, including collections from Avenida Wilson Roriz, in the city center. The collection began with the clarification of the population on the scientific and cultural value of natural heritage, and an example of heritage education, by strengthening the relationship of people with their cultural heritage. The museum houses not only fossil specimens for research that are relevant to the knowledge of paleontology in the Araripe Sedimentary Basin, but also constitutes a place of regional public visitation with an educational, cultural and tourist effect.