What do tooth marks in fossil shells mean?
tooth marks in fossil shells This means that the shell was prepared for predatory animals. features that are shared by more than one species The fossil species were probably related to each other. 3. the extinction of many fossil species at the same time The extinction of many would indicate a mass extinction caused.
How did paleontologists infer that trilobites roll up for protection from predators?
Even though they are now extinct, there were more than 10,000 different trilobite species that crawled along the sea bed or swam through the water. By comparing the fossil trilobite to animals like pill bugs, paleontologists can infer that trilobites rolled up for protection from predators.
What do fossil shells on mountain tops tell us?
They tell us what organisms lived in a certain place. They can tell what the organism looked like. Fossils can also tell how organisms have changed over time. If you find fossils of seashells high in a mountain, you might be able to conclude that the mountain used to be underwater at some point in the past.
How do fossils show signs of biodiversity?
fossils help us understand how biodiversity has changed through time. fossils provide evidence of mass extinctions. the extinction of one species can affect other organisms. recognizing changes in past biodiversity can give us clues about how biodiversity is changing today.
Is a fossil abiotic or biotic?
According to most geologists, fossil fuels are considered as biotic because they have been formed from the remains of dead plants and animals that were buried into the earth and rocks thousands of years ago.
Where would we find fossils forming on Earth today?
This is why fossils are found almost exclusively in sediment and sedimentary rocks. Igneous rocks, which form from cooling magma or lava, and metamorphic rocks, which have been altered by heat and pressure, are unlikely to contain fossils (but may, under special circumstances).
What are the 5 types of fossils?
Five different types of fossils are body fossils, molds and casts, petrification fossils, footprints and trackways, and coprolites.
Why are fossils so hard to find?
Fossils are rare because most remains are consumed or destroyed soon after death. Even if bones are buried, they then must remain buried and be replaced with minerals. If an animal is frozen like the baby mammoth mentioned above, again the animal must remain undisturbed for many years before found.
What event happens first when a fossil is made?
Stage 1: A dinosaur dies and is buried before the remains are completely destroyed. Stage 2: Over time, layers of sediment build up and press down on the buried remains. Stage 3: Dissolved minerals, transported by ground-waters in the sediment, fill tiny spaces in the bones.
What is the most important step in fossil formation?
The conditions most favorable to fossilization include the organism having hard parts (e.g., bones or a shell) and a rapid burial following death (or better yet, at least for paleontologists, a burial event that actually causes death).
What is the difference between a cast fossil and a mold fossil?
Sometimes when an animal dies and its body decays, it can leave an imprint in the sediment. If this imprint fills in with minerals from sediment and groundwater, it can harden to form a fossil. This fossil is called a cast fossil. The fossilized imprint is called a mold fossil.
What rock is fossils found in?
sedimentary rock
What can Paleontologists tell from fossil footprints of a dinosaur?
Trace fossils are useful for paleontologists because they tell about the activity of ancient organisms. Paleontologists can also estimate dinosaur gait and speed from some footprint track ways. If the footprints are close together, this might show they were running.
What are 3 types of fossilization?
Scientists categorize fossils into three main groups – impression fossils, trace fossils, and replacement fossils. Amber is also often looked at as a fourth type of fossil.
What is a fossil give 3 examples?
Fossils are the remains or traces of ancient life that have been preserved by natural processes. Examples of fossil include shells, bones, stone imprints of animals or microbes, exoskeletons, objects preserved in amber, petrified wood, coal, hair, oil, and DNA remnants.