What is the meaning of coprolites?

Coprolites are the fossilised faeces of animals that lived millions of years ago. They are trace fossils, meaning not of the animal’s actual body. A coprolite like this can give scientists clues about an animal’s diet.

What are coprolites mainly about?

A coprolite (also known as a coprolith) is fossilized feces. Coprolites are classified as trace fossils as opposed to body fossils, as they give evidence for the animal’s behaviour (in this case, diet) rather than morphology. Coprolites, distinct from paleofeces, are fossilized animal dung.

How do you identify coprolites?

One of the easiest ways to identify coprolites is to compare their shapes to modern analogues. The spiral pattern observed on modern shark excrement is similar to certain marine coprolites. Crocodilian coprolites look almost “fresh”.

Where are coprolites found?

Coprolites are the fossilized or preserved remains of the contents of the intestine and the excrement of organisms: fossilized feces. Coprolites are quite rare because they tend to decay rapidly. They are most commonly found among sea organisms.

What are coprolites and what do they mean?

What Are Coprolites? Coprolites are the fossilised faeces of animals that lived millions of years ago. Coprolites are trace fossils which means that they are not fossils of the animal’s actual body, but of something that came from the animals body. Coprolites are like time capsules and provide an unparalleled insight into the past.

How are coprolites fossils like Time Capsules?

Coprolites are the fossilised faeces of animals that lived millions of years ago. Coprolites are trace fossils which means that they are not fossils of the animal’s actual body, but of something that came from the animals body. Coprolites are like time capsules and provide an unparalleled insight into the past.

Where does the name coprolite come from for fossilized poop?

Coprolite: The Straight Poop, All The Poop, And Nothing But The Poop! Coprolite is a fancy name for fossilized poop. Also called coproliths, the word comes from the Greek kopros meaning “dung” and lithos meaning “stone.” Petrified poop can come from many different animals of course.

How big is a coprolite of a dinosaur?

Reptile coprolites are fairly common, see photo below, however in this article we will focus mainly on dinosaur coprolite. Dinosaurs varied in size, and so did their poop. Specimens of dinosaur coprolite may range in size from a few millimeters to over 60 centimeters.