Paleontology Glossary

Bite Force

The amount of force exerted by the jaws during biting. T. rex had an estimated …

Brood Parasite

An organism that lays its eggs in another species nest. Some oviraptorosaur behavior has been …

Coprolite

Fossilized feces that provide direct evidence of dinosaur diet. Analysis can reveal plant material, bone …

Display Structure

A morphological feature whose primary function is visual communication — attracting mates, intimidating rivals, or …

Ectotherm

An organism that relies on external heat sources to regulate body temperature. Early interpretations cast …

Endothermy

The ability to generate internal body heat (warm-blooded). Evidence increasingly suggests many dinosaurs were endothermic …

Feeding Strategy

The suite of behaviors and adaptations an animal uses to obtain food. High-browsing sauropods, low-cropping …

Gastrolith

Stones swallowed by dinosaurs (particularly sauropods) to aid in grinding food in the gizzard, similar …

Gigantothermy

A passive form of thermal regulation in which a large body mass retains heat due …

Gregarious Behavior

Living or moving in groups. Bone beds containing hundreds of individuals, as in Centrosaurus, are …

Homeotherm

An organism that maintains a constant body temperature regardless of environmental fluctuations. Many theropods, particularly …

Locomotor Adaptation

Structural modifications that enhance a particular mode of movement. Long metatarsals in ostrich-like ornithomimids are …

Nesting Colony

A site where multiple dinosaurs nested together. Discovered in hadrosaurs (Maiasaura) and sauropods, providing evidence …

Sound Production

The ability to generate acoustic signals for communication. The hollow cranial crest of Parasaurolophus could …

Trace Fossil

Evidence of biological activity preserved in rock, including footprints, trackways, burrows, and feeding marks. Trackways …