coprolites
Ancient fossilized feces
Coprolites are fossilized feces.
Paleontologists study them to learn about ancient diets and ecosystems—what animals ate, what plants existed, how food chains worked.
The term comes from Greek words meaning dung stone.
The coprolites revealed that the dinosaur had eaten fish.
Sometimes used loosely for any preserved excrement, fossilized or not.
Preserved signs of activity
- petrificationBecoming rock-like
- mineralizationConversion to mineral form
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
paleobiology · paleoecology · geology · sedimentary rock · fossil record · preservation
Act of unearthing
- dig siteArchaeological excavation location
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
- sedimentsParticles that settle below
- contextCircumstances shaping meaning
artifacts · fieldwork · trench · bioarchaeology · anthropology · carbon dating · provenance · documentation
Extinct Mesozoic reptile
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- extinct speciesOrganism with no survivors
megafauna · mastodon · quaternary · Pleistocene · ancient · antiquity · geological time · Paleozoic
Study of ancient flora
- bone fragmentsBroken pieces of skeleton
- food residueMatter left after eating
- carnivore dietDiet of animal products only
- omnivore dietConsuming all food types
Individual for examination
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
- displayPresentation for viewing
- collectionGathered set of items
- curatorCollection overseer
conservation · preservation · labeling · cataloging · acquisition · gallery · showcase · interpretation
trace fossils
Preserved signs of activity
- petrificationBecoming rock-like
- mineralizationConversion to mineral form
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
stratigraphy · paleobiology · paleoecology · geology · sedimentary rock · fossil record · preservation
excavation
Act of unearthing
- dig siteArchaeological excavation location
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
- sedimentsParticles that settle below
context · artifacts · fieldwork · trench · bioarchaeology · anthropology · carbon dating · provenance · documentation · midden
dinosaur
Extinct Mesozoic reptile
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
extinct species · megafauna · mastodon · quaternary · Pleistocene · ancient · antiquity · geological time · Paleozoic · Mesozoic
paleobotany
Study of ancient flora
- bone fragmentsBroken pieces of skeleton
- food residueMatter left after eating
- carnivore dietDiet of animal products only
specimen
Individual for examination
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
- displayPresentation for viewing
- collectionGathered set of items
curator · conservation · preservation · labeling · cataloging · acquisition · gallery · showcase · interpretation · educational display