Final answer:
Mississippian limestone is particularly known for containing marine fossils such as shells of bivalves, corals, trilobites, and belemnites. These fossils are preserved through processes like alteration and replacement in the carbonate sedimentary matrix, typically resulting in fossiliferous limestone.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mississippian limestone is renowned for containing a variety of fossils, typically from marine organisms. Among the common fossils found in this type of limestone are shells of bivalves, corals, and the impressions or partial remains of creatures such as trilobites and belemnites. The Mississippian period saw extensive deposits of carbonate sediments, which formed the limestones that are now rich in these fossilized marine organisms.
Modes of fossil preservation includ alteration and replacement, where the original shell may be dissolved and a new mineral may fill the space to create a cast. Due to the typical calcium carbonate composition, the fossils in Mississippian limestone often include those of organisms with hard parts made of calcite or aragonite, such as shells and corals. These limestones are a subtype of sedimentary rock termed fossiliferous limestone, due to the high content of fossil remains.