Paleozoology
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robot Adding: [[ro:Paleozoologie]]
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'''Paleozoology''', also spelled as '''palaeozoology''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: ''paleon'' = old and ''zoon'' = animal), is the branch of [[paleontology]] or [[paleobiology]] dealing with the recovery and identification of [[multicellular]] [[animal]] remains from [[geological]] (or even [[archeological]]) contexts, and the use of these [[fossil]]s in the reconstruction of [[prehistoric]] [[natural environment|environment]]s and [[paleoecology|ancient ecosystem]]s.
Definitive, macroscopic remains of these [[Metazoa|metazoan]]s are found in the [[fossil record]] from the [[Ediacaran]] period of the [[Neoproterozoic]] era onwards, although they do not become common until the Late [[Devonian]] period in the latter half of the [[Paleozoic]] era.
Perhaps the best known [[macrofossil]]s group is the [[dinosaur]]s. Other popularly known animal-derived macrofossils include [[trilobite]]s, [[crustacean]]s, [[echinoderms]], [[brachiopod]]s, [[mollusk]]s, [[bony fish]]es, [[shark]]s, [[Vertebrate]] [[Tooth|teeth]], and [[Animal shell|shell]]s of numerous [[invertebrate]] groups. This is because hard organic parts, such as bones, teeth, and shells resist decay, and are the most commonly preserved and found animal fossils. Exclusively [[Soft-bodied organisms|soft-bodied animals]] -- such as [[jellyfish]], [[flatworm]]s, [[nematode]]s, and [[insect]]s -- are consequently rarely [[fossilization|fossilized]], as these groups do not produce hard organic parts.
==See also==
*[[Animalia]], taxonomic kingdom of
*[[Fossil]]s
*[[Index fossil]]s -- a.k.a. guide fossils
*[[Invertebrate]]s
*[[Invertebrate paleontology]] covers most animal phyla
*[[Macrofossil]]s -- easily visible fossil evidence
*[[Metazoa]] -- animal kingdom
*[[Microfossil]]s -- microscopic fossil evidence
*[[Micropaleontology]]
*[[Paleobiology]] -- biology and paleontology
*[[Paleobotany]]
*[[Trace fossil]]s -- indirect evidence of prehistoric life
*[[Vertebrate]]s
*[[Vertebrate paleontology]] covers the subphylum Vertebrata
*[[Zoology]]
[[Category:Subfields of paleontology]]
[[Category:subfields of zoology]]
[[Category:zoology|*]]
[[Category:Animal identification]]
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[[de:Paläozoologie]]
[[el:Αρχαιοζωολογία]]
[[es:Paleozoología]]
[[eo:Paleozoologio]]
[[fr:Paléozoologie]]
[[it:Paleozoologia]]
[[he:פליאוזואולוגיה]]
[[ka:პალეოზოოლოგია]]
[[lt:Paleozoologija]]
[[nl:Paleozoölogie]]
[[pl:Paleozoologia]]
[[pt:Paleozoologia]]
[[ro:Paleozoologie]]
[[tet:Paleozoolojia]]
[[uk:Палеозоологія]]
[[ur:حیوانی حفریات]]
[[zh:古动物学]]