Dinosaurs left behind greater than their bones. There are dinosaur traces all over the place—tracks, trails (trails are like tracks, however extra irregular—left by snails or worms crawling, by jellyfish dragging tentacles, or markings left by crustaceans or sea urchins), burrows, nests, eggs, tooth marks, and even their poop and vomit. All of these items (often known as ichnofossils or hint fossils) give us clues into how they lived and the way they behaved.
We discover these traces in our two-part mini sequence.
Finding out these traces has some challenges. For instance, it may be very tough to determine which animal produced a hint fossils (we solely know the habits of the animal that made it).
Along with behaviors, hint fossils assist present what the atmosphere was like (was there environmental stress, have been the animals in marine environments, and many others.).
Hint fossils have been acknowledged since prehistoric instances. Ichnology, the research of hint fossils, as we all know it right now has been studied for about 200 years.
Dinosaur tracks
Tracks can let you know about battles, herding behaviors, and predators following prey. They will additionally present if an animal had 4 legs, two legs, or dragged its tail when strolling (for dinosaurs, no tail marks have been left, in order that they in all probability didn’t drag their tails).
One instance of a dinosaur trackway is in what’s now now Shandong Province, China (from about 120 to 100 mya). Six dromaeosaurs have been all transferring in the identical course. Scientists don’t know for positive in the event that they have been there collectively however there are ripple marks that present the trackways have been lined shortly after they have been made, so it appears seemingly they have been strolling collectively.
Burrows
Burrows and nests can inform us so much about whether or not an animal lived alone, in communities, and in some circumstances superior ranges of social orgs.
In 2020, Yuqing Yang and others named a brand new burrowing dinosaur, Changmiania. Two people have been discovered, and one is curled up with its tail projecting out.
Eggs
Generally eggs are thought of to be hint fossils (until there are embryos), as a result of they supply direct proof of reproductive habits.
Eggs may also help present brooding habits, and provides clues as to a dinosaur’s way of life.
One research in 2021 discovered, based mostly on eggshells, that titanosaurs have been in all probability nomadic.
Tooth marks
Marks in bone may be from claws, and in addition tooth (punctures, grooves, fractures), and so they can inform us about predators and prey.
How one animal bit one other appears totally different relying on the tooth traces it leaves. This helps present if that animal had a powerful chew or dragged its tooth.
Coprolites
Final however not least are the coprolites, a.ok.a. fossilized poop.
Paleontologist Karen Chin is an skilled on coprolites. In one research, she and a group discovered that some herbivorous dinosaurs ate crustaceans, based mostly on shells present in 10 coprolite samples.
And along with fossilized poop, fossilize urine (urolites) and fossilized vomit (regurgitalites) have been discovered.