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Trace
Fossils and Behaviour
Trace fossils provide palaeontologists with information about
what the animal was doing at the time it made the trace (this
is called animal behaviour).
Trace fossils are formed exactly where they happened - they
cannot move from the place in which they were created. Because
of this, trace fossils also tell palaeontologists about the
ancient environment in which the animal lived. |
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The
types of animal behaviour can be broken up into six broad groups:
Dwelling: the animal built
the trace and then used it as a home.
Resting: the animal simply
"took a break".
Feeding: the animal made
temporary burrows that it stayed in while it was feeding.
Farming: the animal made
burrow systems that have regular patterns. The animal lived
in the burrow permanently and farmed for food.
Locomotion: trackways and trails made by
animals "on the move" - traveling from one place to
another.
Escape: the animal was trying
to escape its home and moved up or down in the sediment very
quickly. |
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