paleoichnology

English

Alternative forms

• palaeoichnology

Etymology

From paleo- +‎ ichnology.

Noun

paleoichnology (uncountable)

1. (paleontology) A branch of ichnology concerned with the study of trace fossils preserved in ancient rocks.
   • 1984, Palaeontology: Proceedings of the 27th International Geological Congress: Invited Papers, Volume 2, International Geological Congress:

     The evolutionary aspect of ecology which has started to develop due to studies of trace fossils will stay long the privilege of paleoichnology.

   • 2003, Jose Louis Sanz, Starring T. Rex! Dinosaur Mythology and Popular Culture, Indiana University Press, page 8:

     Paleoichnology is their historic equivalent—the study of ichnological evidence of animals of the past.

   • 2004, Ichnology Newsletter, number 26, page 42:

     As far as I can discern for now, only a few of the lessons learned were readily applicable to mainstream neoichnology and paleoichnology, but no matter.

   • 2006, Richard L. Orndorff, Robert W. Wieder, David G. Futey, “Geology Underfoot in Southern Utah”, in Mountain, Press Publishing, page 12:

     This field is called paleoichnology, which means the study (ology) of ancient (paleo) footprints (ichnos). Despite its name, there's more to paleoichnology than footprints.

   • 2017, Dirk Knaust, Atlas of Trace Fossils in Well Core, Springer, page 5:

     The subjects of paleoichnology are trace fossils (also called ichnofossils), which are fossilized structures produced in substrates ranging from unlithified sediment to sedimentary rock or organic matter (including shell, bone, wood and peat) by the activity of organisms.

Coordinate terms

• neoichnology

Translations

branch of ichnology concerned with ancient trace fossils

See also

• ichnofossil
• trace fossil

Further reading

• Trace fossil on Wikipedia.Wikipedia