BODY FOSSILS - Paleontology and Geology Glossary

Advertisement.

EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site.
As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with print-friendly pages.
Click here to learn more.

(Already a member? Click here.)

ZoomDinosaurs.com
Dinosaur and Paleontology Dictionary

Click on an underlined word for more information on that subject.
If the dinosaur or paleontology term you are looking for is not in the dictionary, please e-mail us.
BODY FOSSILS

The most common body fossils found are from the hard parts of the body, including bones, claws and teeth. More rarely, fossils have been found of softer body tissues. Body fossils include:

Bones - these fossils are the main means of learning about dinosaurs. The fossilized bones of a tremendous number of species of dinosaurs have been found since 1818, when the first dinosaur bone was discovered. The first nearly-complete skeleton (of Hadrosaurus foulkii) was found in 1858 in New Jersey, USA.
Teeth and Claws - Sometimes a bit of a broken tooth of a carnivore is found with another dinosaur's bones, especially those of herbivores. Lots of fossilized teeth have been found, including those of Albertosaurus and Iguanodon .
Eggs , Embryos , and Nests - Fossilized dinosaur eggs were first found in France in 1869. Many fossilized dinosaur eggs have been found, at over 200 sites. Sometimes they have preserved parts of embryos, which can help to match an egg with a species of dinosaur. The embryo also sheds light on dinosaur development. The nests and clutches of eggs tells much about dinosaurs' nurturing behavior. A dinosaur egg was found by a 3-year-old child.
Skin - Some dinosaurs had thick, bumpy skin, like that of an alligator . A 12-year-old girl discovered a T. rex's bumpy skin imprint, confirming that it had a "lightly pebbled skin."
Muscles, Tendons, Organs, and Blood Vessels - These are extremely rare because these soft tissues decay easily unless they are mummified.