fossils - exam 3 Flashcards
direct or altered remains of an organism
body fossils
evidence of the activity of an organism
trace fossils (ichnofossils)
organic compound with a chemical structure that can be related to a particular organism
biomarkers
unaltered remains, permineralization, recrystallization, dissolution and replacement (cast and internal mold), and carbonization are all
types of fossilization processes
to be considered a fossil, the remains/traces have to be
generally over 10,000 years old
to become a fossil, a specimen
must possess hard parts
diatoms are
one celled plants
diatoms are composed of
silica (quartz)
protozoans are
one celled animals
we classify fossils the same way we classify
living organisms
we use the _____ ______ to classify fossils
linnean system
phylum cnidaria are
hollow bodied animals such as coral and jellyfish
phylum mollusca is
soft bodied animals like snails and bivalves
octopus and squid are in the class
cephalopod
phylum arthropada are
jointed foot animals
the most abundant animal group in phylum arthropoda are
insects
phylum echinodermata is
spiny skinned animals
sand dollars, blastoids, and crinoids are
fossil echinoderms
phylum chordata is
the humans scientific phylum and has a dorsal/back spinal cord
class osteichthyes are
bony fish
the age of amphibians was in
the carboniferous period as they were most prominent with no competition
why is plant fossilization less common?
plants live on land and don’t have hard parts
what environment are plants more likely to fossilize
wet environments/conditions
class reptile includes
hard shelled eggs, dinosaur fossils, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators
the age of reptiles was in
the mesozoic era
