Glosario de paleontología

Mesozoic Flora

The plant communities that coexisted with dinosaurs. Conifers, cycads, ginkgoes, ferns, and horsetails dominated early …

Island Dwarfism

The evolutionary reduction in body size of large animals isolated on islands, driven by limited …

Scavenging

Feeding on carcasses of animals that died of other causes. Whether large theropods like T. …

Paleo-Biogeography

The study of the geographic distribution of ancient organisms and how continental drift, sea-level changes, …

Coprolite Analysis

The chemical and physical examination of fossilized feces to reconstruct diet. A large coprolite attributed …

Niche Partitioning

The division of ecological resources among co-existing species to reduce competition. In Late Jurassic North …

Tooth Wear Analysis

Examination of microscopic scratches and pits on tooth surfaces to infer diet. Phytosaurs and herbivorous …

Ectothermy vs Endothermy Debate

The long-running scientific discussion over whether dinosaurs were warm-blooded or cold-blooded. Modern consensus holds that …

Gigantism

The evolution of exceptionally large body size. Dinosaur gigantism in sauropods may have been driven …

Herd Behavior

Coordinated movement or social grouping of multiple individuals. Sauropod and hadrosaur trackways showing parallel travel …

Migration

Seasonal long-distance movement between habitats. Isotopic analysis of dinosaur teeth suggests some large herbivores, like …

Pack Hunting

Coordinated cooperative hunting by multiple predators. Pack hunting has been proposed for Deinonychus based on …

Paleotemperature

The estimated temperature of ancient environments, reconstructed from isotopic proxies, plant fossils, and sediment types. …

Predator-Prey Ratio

The proportion of predatory to herbivorous species in an ecosystem. Dinosaur faunas show lower predator-to-prey …

Stable Isotope Analysis

Analysis of ratios of stable isotopes (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen) in fossil teeth and bones to …