Trace Fossil
생흔화석
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<speciesfyi-glossary slug="trace-fossil"></speciesfyi-glossary>Definition
Preserved evidence of biological activity such as footprints, burrows, or feeding marks rather than body parts.
Detailed Explanation
Trace fossils record behavior directly — something body fossils cannot do. Dinosaur trackways reveal stride length, speed, and social behavior; feeding traces show dietary preference; burrows indicate burrowing depth and diameter. Ichnotaxa (names given to trace fossils) are separate from body fossil names because the same organism can produce different traces in different substrates. Bioturbation traces in sediments indicate benthic oxygen levels in ancient seas.