What is a fossil?
Fossils are the remains or traces of past life on earth. They can be fossilized bones, shells or wood or other plant fossils, footprints, other impressions, insects in resin, burrows, coprolites (fossil feces), molds or casts, etc.
Paleontology
Paleontology is the scientific study of fossils.
“The history of paleontology traces the history of the effort to understand the history of life on Earth by studying the fossil record left behind by living organisms. Since it is concerned with understanding living organisms of the past paleontology can be considered to be a field of biology, but its historical development has been closely tied to geology and the effort to understand the history of the Earth itself.”
History of paleontology. (2014, June 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:31, June 20, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_paleontology&oldid=613159551
Geologic Time Scale
“The geologic time scale (GTS) is a system of chronological measurement that relates stratigraphy to time, and is used by geologists, paleontologists, and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred throughout Earth's history.”
Geologic time scale. (2014, June 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:46, June 20, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geologic_time_scale&oldid=612275179
Link to GSA Geologic Time Scale:
http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.pdf
Invertebrate fossils
Invertebrate fossils are the remains or traces of animals that lacked backbones. They were extremely abundant and diverse group of animals. Invertebrate fossils included corals, worms, molluscs, bryozoans, sponges, brachiopods, echinoderms, etc. Invertebrate fossils enable paleontologists to learn about evolution, extinction, biostratigraphy and much more.
See this webpage for a more complete taxonomy:
Taxonomy of commonly fossilised invertebrates. (2014, May 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:25, June 20, 2014, fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taxonomy_of_commonly_fossilised_invertebrates&oldid=606702195
Vertebrate fossils
Vertebrate fossils are the remains or traces of animals that had a backbone or spinal column. This includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Sedimentary rocks
Sedimentary rocks are layers of sediment or strata deposited on land and water. The three kinds of sedimentary rock are clastic (ex. sandstone, conglomerate, shale), chemical (ex. rock salt) and organic (ex. coal). The great majority of fossils are preserved in sedimentary rocks.
How Fossils are exposed
Fossils can be exposed by erosion, road cuts, river beds, quarries, etc.
Fossil Identification
Fossils are organized using a system of classification. Fossils are identified by using diagnostic features that are characteristic for each taxon. Vertebrates have different structure to their bones and teeth. Invertebrates, for instance, can have different shell structures. Searching the scientific literature is the best way to identify fossils. There are also many books and websites for this purpose.
Excavation of Fossils
The excavation of fossils is best left to professionals who have the qualifications, knowledge and expertise. May fossils have been damaged or destroyed by unknowledgeable people. Excavation involves digging around the fossil to see its extent and then putting a plaster cap over the top. Newspaper is wet with water and the strips are place over the fossil. Plaster of Paris is mixed in a bowl with water to the correct consistency and then burlap strips are dunked and coated with the plaster. Then the strips are laid across the fossil to support it. The cap must extend underneath the fossil for support when flipping the jacket. Once the jacket is flipped, excess sediment is removed and strips with plaster are placed on the flipped side. Once the plaster has set up and is hard, the jacket is removed.
Preparation of Fossils
Once a fossil or jacket arrives at the lab it usually requires some preparation. Rock matrix adhering to the fossil must be removed. Fossils are prepared in a lab using a variety of tools. Air scribes are a common way to remove rock matrix. Sometimes dental picks are used. The glue brand PaleoBond is one of the best for gluing fossils. This brand also makes a penetrant that is a thin glue used to penetrate cracks in the fossil.
Curation of Fossils
After fossils are cleaned and prepared and ready for study or storage, they need to be curated. Fossils should always have an identifying number associated with them when collected. This field number should always be kept with the fossil. A fossil should never be stored in a bag or box or tray without a locality or field number. This number is assigned in the field when collected together with other information and is recorded in a field book. The field number is then assigned a locality number. Information needed includes date collected, specimens, age, collector, etc. Once a locality number is assigned, the specimen can be assigned a catalog number. The catalog number is the identifying number for that specimen. Information needed for assigning a catalog number include the genus and species, locality number and collector and date collected. The specimen is then put in a tray and placed in a cabinet.
Fossils are the remains or traces of past life on earth. They can be fossilized bones, shells or wood or other plant fossils, footprints, other impressions, insects in resin, burrows, coprolites (fossil feces), molds or casts, etc.
Paleontology
Paleontology is the scientific study of fossils.
“The history of paleontology traces the history of the effort to understand the history of life on Earth by studying the fossil record left behind by living organisms. Since it is concerned with understanding living organisms of the past paleontology can be considered to be a field of biology, but its historical development has been closely tied to geology and the effort to understand the history of the Earth itself.”
History of paleontology. (2014, June 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:31, June 20, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_paleontology&oldid=613159551
Geologic Time Scale
“The geologic time scale (GTS) is a system of chronological measurement that relates stratigraphy to time, and is used by geologists, paleontologists, and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred throughout Earth's history.”
Geologic time scale. (2014, June 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:46, June 20, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geologic_time_scale&oldid=612275179
Link to GSA Geologic Time Scale:
http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.pdf
Invertebrate fossils
Invertebrate fossils are the remains or traces of animals that lacked backbones. They were extremely abundant and diverse group of animals. Invertebrate fossils included corals, worms, molluscs, bryozoans, sponges, brachiopods, echinoderms, etc. Invertebrate fossils enable paleontologists to learn about evolution, extinction, biostratigraphy and much more.
See this webpage for a more complete taxonomy:
Taxonomy of commonly fossilised invertebrates. (2014, May 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:25, June 20, 2014, fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taxonomy_of_commonly_fossilised_invertebrates&oldid=606702195
Vertebrate fossils
Vertebrate fossils are the remains or traces of animals that had a backbone or spinal column. This includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Sedimentary rocks
Sedimentary rocks are layers of sediment or strata deposited on land and water. The three kinds of sedimentary rock are clastic (ex. sandstone, conglomerate, shale), chemical (ex. rock salt) and organic (ex. coal). The great majority of fossils are preserved in sedimentary rocks.
How Fossils are exposed
Fossils can be exposed by erosion, road cuts, river beds, quarries, etc.
Fossil Identification
Fossils are organized using a system of classification. Fossils are identified by using diagnostic features that are characteristic for each taxon. Vertebrates have different structure to their bones and teeth. Invertebrates, for instance, can have different shell structures. Searching the scientific literature is the best way to identify fossils. There are also many books and websites for this purpose.
Excavation of Fossils
The excavation of fossils is best left to professionals who have the qualifications, knowledge and expertise. May fossils have been damaged or destroyed by unknowledgeable people. Excavation involves digging around the fossil to see its extent and then putting a plaster cap over the top. Newspaper is wet with water and the strips are place over the fossil. Plaster of Paris is mixed in a bowl with water to the correct consistency and then burlap strips are dunked and coated with the plaster. Then the strips are laid across the fossil to support it. The cap must extend underneath the fossil for support when flipping the jacket. Once the jacket is flipped, excess sediment is removed and strips with plaster are placed on the flipped side. Once the plaster has set up and is hard, the jacket is removed.
Preparation of Fossils
Once a fossil or jacket arrives at the lab it usually requires some preparation. Rock matrix adhering to the fossil must be removed. Fossils are prepared in a lab using a variety of tools. Air scribes are a common way to remove rock matrix. Sometimes dental picks are used. The glue brand PaleoBond is one of the best for gluing fossils. This brand also makes a penetrant that is a thin glue used to penetrate cracks in the fossil.
Curation of Fossils
After fossils are cleaned and prepared and ready for study or storage, they need to be curated. Fossils should always have an identifying number associated with them when collected. This field number should always be kept with the fossil. A fossil should never be stored in a bag or box or tray without a locality or field number. This number is assigned in the field when collected together with other information and is recorded in a field book. The field number is then assigned a locality number. Information needed includes date collected, specimens, age, collector, etc. Once a locality number is assigned, the specimen can be assigned a catalog number. The catalog number is the identifying number for that specimen. Information needed for assigning a catalog number include the genus and species, locality number and collector and date collected. The specimen is then put in a tray and placed in a cabinet.