The Wonderful World Of Coprolites (Poop Fossils)

So this is an odd topic.

The very fact that not only can dinosaur poop become fossilized but that people also would want to study those fossilized leavings is something I would never have guessed.

Coprolites, or poop fossils, are actually a fairly informative and well studied field and they have given us excellent insights into the ancient animals and humans that left them behind as well as clues to the climate and plant matter that was around at the time of the, ahem. movement.

Their existence was first deduced by Mary Anning (1799 - 1847) when she noticed that there were sometimes fossils called bezoars that were located in the abdominal region of ichthyosaurs. When these stones were broken open they often contained fossilized fish bones as well as bones of smaller ichthyosaurs.

Evidence like this provided clues to the diet of these ancient marine reptiles which was fish as well as younger members of their own species (nature is metal).

Coprolites that are found in the gut area of the fossilized animal are of great value because they are relatively uncontaminated from the surrounding environment and also provide evidence of the creature's last few meals.

The detailed examination of these fecal remains have revealed seeds, grains and fruits as well as pollen and other plant fragments. The fossils can also contain eaten animal components like bones and hair.

For human coprolites, parasites or the eggs of parasites, insects and mites can give clues as to whether, or how, those humans stored their food and also hints as to whether they prepared their food.

If charcoal is found in the ancient human coprolite then this provides evidence that they had mastered fire and that they cooked their food.

If chemical analysis of the coprolite reveals high levels of phosphorus and/or calcium then it is likely the animal was a meat eater as bones contain high concentrations of these two minerals.

Some coprolites have even been re-hydrated using an aqueous solution of tri-sodium phosphate often called TSP which is a common alkaline cleaning agent.

This is reported to also have the nasty side effect of bringing back the odours of the original "deposit". However, this technique is worth it because it helpful for separating out the various components of the fossil and allowing radiocarbon dating of the remains. More interesting is the fact that DNA studies of ancient pollen, parasites and viruses are also made possible. In addition, analysis of the natural steroids left behind in the fossil can also provide researchers with data about the sex of the fossil's creator.

That's a surprising amount of information gleaned from one fossil type.

Closing Words

Science can at times be a weird and wonderful topic of study, one never knows what you will stumble across next.

So, the next time that you are going on a hike near some exposed cliffs or any eroding landscape keep an eye out for odd shaped rocks on the ground because they just might be dinosaur poop.

Finally, if you are a member of a senior hockey, basketball or football (soccer) team that is really not very good then you may want to consider calling your team the "Coprolites". Only your science-trained opponents would know the truth.

Thank you for reading my post.

Post Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprolite
https://www.thoughtco.com/coprolite-human-fossil-feces-170564
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/deadthings/2018/05/23/coprolites/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaur/glossary/Coprolite.shtml
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-a-coprolite.html