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Paleontology > MT1 > Flashcards

MT1 Flashcards

1
Q

Fossils

A

lithified remains of once living organisms

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2
Q

Body fossils

A

-hard body parts (teeth, shells, bones, wood, etc)
-soft body parts are much harder to preserve – much rarer

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3
Q

Trace fossils

A

-record behaviour of fossils
-tracks, trails, burrows, etc.

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4
Q

Biomineralization

A

-process by which organisms produce hard skeletons

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5
Q

Basal Skeleton

A

-protective base to which a soft body is attached
-like corals, bryozoans

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6
Q

5 types of skeletal material

A

-Calcium carbonate – invertebrates, corals, sea urchins, clams
-Calcium phosphate – vertebrate bones
-Silica – some sponges
-Cellulose – plants
-Chitin – arthropods

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7
Q

3 Types of Calcium Carbonate

A

-low magnesium calcite
-high magnesium calcite
-aragonite

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8
Q

Silica

A

-not common
-diatoms
-some types of sponges
-Radiolarians

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9
Q

Calcium Phosphate

A

-only common in 2 main groups
-vertebrates
-linguliformean bachiopods

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10
Q

Cellulose

A

-long polysaccharide chains
-form strong fibers
-resistant to decomposition
-found in plants - cell walls

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11
Q

Chitin

A

-modified polysaccharides
-common in arthropod exoskeletons

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12
Q

4 Main types of Trace Fossils

A

-tracks – discrete footprints formed by arthropods or vertebrates
-trails – continuous traces left by invertebrates
-burrows – variety of structures that penetrate soft sediment surface
-borings – like burrows but penetrate hard rock or shell surface

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13
Q

Coprolites

A

-trace fossil
-mineralized shit of animal
-can tell us about diet or ecosystem

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14
Q

Gastroliths

A

-common in birds & reptiles
-animals eat stones to help their stomachs grind food
-might have helped some aquatic species

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15
Q

Trace Fossil Pros & Cons

A

Pros
-can give clues on environment & ecology, animal behaviour, sediment concentrations
Cons
-producer not often preserved
-multiple organisms can make same kind of trace or several different kinds
-same structure can be preserved differently depending on substrate
-long stratigraphic ranges

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16
Q

Environments that favour fossilization

A

-anaerobic, nutrient poor, hypersaline
-little to no transportation
-rapid burial
-little to no diagenesis

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17
Q

Taphonomy

A

-study of all the processes that occur between death of organism & it’s final state
-disarticulation
-fragmentation
-abrasion
-bioerosion
-corrosion & dissolution
-flattening – happens after burial
-diagenesis – happens after burial

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18
Q

Raup’s Taphonomic Filters

A

a fossil must make it through each of these processes to be discovered by paleontologists
-anatomic
-biological
-ecological
-sedimentary
-preservation
-diagenetic
-metamorphic
-vertical movement
-human

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19
Q

Types of preservation

A

-complete
-soft-tissue
-carbonizatin
-unaltered hard parts
-recrystallization
-replacement
-molds & casts
concretions

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20
Q

Complete Preservation

A

-original material is still present in it’s original form

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21
Q

Soft Body Fossils

A

-soft-bodied organisms are generally rare in fossil record
-decomposition usually occurs before burial
-occurs under exceptional circumstances
-called Lagerstatten

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22
Q

Carbonization

A

-volatile compounds driven off by pressure/heat
-only carbon film remains

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23
Q

Unaltered preservation

A

-soft parts decay away & hard parts remian
-hard parts retain original composition & structure

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24
Q

Recrystallization

A

-less stable mineral forms change into more stable crystal forms
-change in structure of fossil

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25
Q

Permineralization

A

-addition of new minerals into pore spaces of original fossil
-original tissue often replaced
-tissue structure preserved

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26
Q

Replacement

A

-shell replaced by another mineral
-often preserves gross morphology but obscures fine detail
-silicification
-pyritization
-phosphatization

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27
Q

Molds & Casts

A

-internal mold shows internal features of organism
-external mold shows exterior of organism
-cast of organism is from infilling of mold

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28
Q

Concretions

A

-form early during diagenesis as minerals that precipitate around a nucleus
-nucleus is commonly organic
-harder than surrounding rock, protects fossil from weathering

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29
Q

Taxonomy

A

-science of classifying living organisms

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30
Q

Biological Species

A

-a group that is reproductively isolated from other groups
-generally distinct.

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31
Q

Morphological Species

A

-species that share similar morphological characteristics
-can be quantified statistically
-commonly applied in paleontology

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32
Q

Gradualism

A

-slow but sustained evolution over time
-gradual introduction of new species through time
-relatively constant

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33
Q

Punctuated equilibrium

A

-sudden pulses of evolution in short intervals
-often occurs during environmental changes

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34
Q

Niche of species limiting factors

A

-environmental – temp, salinity, precipitation
-competition – competing with other species
-predation – species is predator or prey

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35
Q

Population

A

-single group of individuals of single species

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36
Q

Community

A

-multiple species that live in an area

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37
Q

Ecosystem

A

-organisms within a community & physical environment

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38
Q

Pelagic

A

-lives in water column
planktonic –floating in water column
nektonic – swimming through water column

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39
Q

Benthic

A

-lives on sea floor
vagile – able to move under it’s own power
sessile – settles ont seafloor (libro=free-lying, fixo=attached)
epifaunal – above the sea floor
infaunal – below the sea floor

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40
Q

Photic Zone

A

-region of marine habitat that can get light

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41
Q

Aphotic Zone

A

-region of marine habitat that can’t get light
-most of marine environment

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42
Q

Supratidal

A

-above high tide

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43
Q

Intertidal

A

-between high & low tide

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44
Q

Subtidal

A

-below tidal zone (continental shelf)

45
Q

Bathyal

A

-continental slope

46
Q

Abyssal

A

-ocean floor
-basin floor is more commonly used now

47
Q

Hadal

A

-ocean trenches

48
Q

Why do organisms burrow?

A

-protection from predators, environment
-easier access to resources

49
Q

Types of Trace Fossils

A

-dwelling structure – Domichnia
-sediment feeding structure – fodinichnia
-grazing on sediment surface – pascichnia
-locomotion – repichnia
-resting & hiding – cubichnia

50
Q

Diplocraterion

A

-dwelling structure
-U shaped curves
-maintain ideal burrow depth through erosion & sedimentation

51
Q

Skolithos

A

-dwelling structure
-vertical worm burrows
-like diplocraterion but straight up & down, no curves

52
Q

Thalassinoides

A

-dwelling structure/feeding burrow
-branching, Y-shaped
unlined burrows, built in cohesive muddy sand

53
Q

Zoophycos

A

-feeding structure
-corkscrew mine

54
Q

Planolites

A

-feeding structure
-random tunneller following a food-rich layer
-not efficient

55
Q

Teichichnus

A

-feeding structure
-back & forth miner
-either mine sediment upwards or downwards

56
Q

Chondrites

A

-feeding structure
-branch miner

57
Q

Rosselia

A

-feeding structure
-muddy sediment & organic matter is trapped in cone by mucous lining
-encourages growth of bacteria
-re-mined by worm
-cone shaped

58
Q

Phycodes

A

-feeding structure
-originates from central base point & fans outwards in pattern of individual burrows

59
Q

Grazing Structures

A

-mainly just spirals on ocean floor made by large worms

60
Q

Cruziana & Diplichnites

A

-locomotion traces

61
Q

Lockeia & Rusophycus

A

-resting traces

62
Q

Graptolites

A

-colonial organism

63
Q

Rhabdosome

A

-entire colony of a graptolite

64
Q

Stipe

A

-an individual branch of a graptolite

65
Q

Theca

A

-an individual chamber of a graptolite

66
Q

Sicula

A

-joins the Nema (top spiky point) with the stipes
-turns into stipes as it goes down

67
Q

Zooid

A

-small colonial animals that live in individual theca
-use cilia like projections to filter for food

68
Q

Skeleton of Graptolites

A

-organic skeleton reinforced by a chitin like substance (like arthropods)
-goes through carbonization process
-tough but flexible
-insoluble in most acids
-usually preserved in deep-water fine-grained rocks as carbon film

69
Q

Time Period of Graptolites

A

-range from middle cambrian to late carboniferous
-most abundant in ordovician & silurian

70
Q

Orders of Graptolites

A

-Dendroidea
–benthic, stuck around the longest
–cambrain to carboniferous
-Graptoloidea
–planktonic
–ordovician to denovian

71
Q

Dendroidea

A

-multibranched colonies
-stipes connected together laterally
-some genera may have become planktonic in late cambrian

72
Q

Graptoloidea

A

-stipes less interconnected
-increasing degree of symmetry throughout evolution
-planktonic lifestyle drifting with ocean currents
-locomotion is uncertain
–thought to be attached to floating mats of algae
–some theories that they had a membrane like structure, like jellyfish
–now thought to have drifted on ocean currents like a net
–zooids may have used wing-like appendages
–may have been able to rotate the colony to move up & down water column, spinning like a helicopter - might explain spiral morphology

73
Q

Graptolite Evolutionary Trends

A

-benthic to planktonic transition
–helped to protect from benthic predators
–Anisograptid fauna: late cambrain to early ordovician
-3 main graptolite evolutionary faunas
–Dichograptid fauna: early & middle ordovician
–Diplograptid fauna: late ordovician
–Monograptid fauna: Silurian

74
Q

Dichograptid fauna

A

-reduction in number of stipes

75
Q

Diplograptid fauna

A

-change in flexure, pendant to V shaped
-evolved straight median septum & short, angular theca

76
Q

Monograptid fauna

A

-reduction in number of stipes & theca
-thought to offer more stable hydrodynamics
-some developed spiraling structures
-thought to be able to swim via coordinated movement of zooids

77
Q

Anisograptids

A

-evolution of planktonic graptolite forms

78
Q

Extinction of planktonic graptolites

A

-early devonian

79
Q

Extinction of dendroid graptolites

A

-late carboniferous

80
Q

Why are graptolites excellent index fossils?

A

-rapid evolution
-wide distribution
-easy to identify
-distinct characteristics restricted to specific time period

81
Q

Planktonic graptoloids

A

-all graptoloidea
-suspension filter feeders
-zooids living in the theces extract nutrients from water column

82
Q

Nektonic graptolites

A

-some graptolites may have been capable of active swimming

83
Q

Fixosessile-epifaunal graptolites

A

-dendroideans
-suspension filter feeders

84
Q

Phylum: Porifera

A

-sponges
-multicellular eukaryotes
-specialized cells for specific functions
-variety of forms (vase-shaped, bulbous, cylindrical, branching less common)
-mostly marine & fixosessile (fixed to marine floor)
-filters - filter water
-body walls enclose central body cavity (spongocoel) that opens to external environment via osculim
-small pores in body wall (ostia) allow seawater to enter sponge
-paragaster - internal cavity of sponge

85
Q

Archaeocytes

A

-sponge cells for digestion, nutrient transport
-develop into sex cells, contained within mesohyl (gelatinous matrix within body of sponge)

86
Q

Choanocytes

A

-sponge cell
-flagellate cells that line the inner wall of the body cavity (spongocoel)

87
Q

Porocytes

A

-sponge cell
-form ostia to allow water into sponge

88
Q

Sclerocytes

A

-sponge cell
-secrete spicules (minute skeletons)

89
Q

Pinacocytes

A

-sponge cell
-protect the outside of sponge

90
Q

Spongocytes

A

-sponge cell
-contained within mesohyl, secrete spongin protein

91
Q

Leucon

A

-most common type of sponge
-most complex
-lots of ostia, 1 big osculum

92
Q

Sponge Reproduction

A

-can be asexual or sexual
-asexual reproduction is budding
-sexual reproduction is jizzing into water & fertilizatioin
–sexual sponges ar hermaphrodites

93
Q

Sponge Skeleton

A

-made of either spongin or calcareous/siliceous spicules
-spongin – hardened organic material, make up body wall
-calcareous or siliceous spicules – secreted by specialized cells called sclerocytes, may be seperate elements within sponge or interwoven into complex structures

94
Q

Megascleres

A

-classification of spicules
-comprise structural skeleton of sponge

95
Q

Microscleres

A

-classification of spicules
-scattered throughout sponge
-less likely to be preserved

96
Q

Spicules are grouped by shape & number of?

A

Rays/axes/appendages
-monoaxon - 1 ray
-tetraaxon - 4 rays
-triaxon - 3 rays
-desmas - oddly shaped ones
-polyaxons - irregular shaped ones
-microscleres - minute in scale

97
Q

Demosponges

A

-class demospongea
-skeletons are made up of siliceous spicules
–1 ray or 4, and/or spongin
-can be freshwater along with marine
-cambrian to present

98
Q

Calcareous Sponges

A

-class calcarea
-skeletons entirely comprised of calcareous spicules packed in dense networks
-cambrain to recent
-important reef formers in mid-paleozoic
-mostly limited to shallow, warm seas
–firm substrates for attachment
–supersaturation of CaCO3 for biomineralization

99
Q

Glass sponges

A

-class Hexactinellida
-skeletons of opaline, silica spicules, 5-6 rays
-abundant in paleogene & neogene on continental shelf
-today, only common at bathyl & abyssal depths.
-ordovician to recent
-live below 200m
-very slow growing

100
Q

Heterotrophic Sponges

A

-filter water to gather food particles & microscopic organisms for food

101
Q

Autotrophic Sponges

A

-have photosynthetic symbionts living in their body

102
Q

Carnivorous sponges

A

-trap parine invetebrates
-located in deep sea

103
Q

Sponges good index fossil?

A

-no
-long range, so not good

104
Q

2 Fossil sponge groups

A

-Archaeocyatha
-Stromatoporoids

105
Q

Archaeocyatha

A

-calcareous skeletons with body walls
-first reef forming organisms of early cambrian
-some debate to affinities but most likely a type of sponge
-found worldwide
-commonly solitary, also some branching colonial forms
-early to middle cambrian

106
Q

Stromatoporoids

A

-calcareous skeletons with parallel lamellae intersected by vertical pillars
-ordovician through devonian

107
Q

Laminar & Dorsal sponges

A

-forms in higher energy settings

108
Q

Dendroid & Columnar sponges

A

-forms in lower energy settings

Paleontology (2 decks)

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