Turtle coprolite

Turtle fecal remains of ± 19.8 x 4.5 cms.

• A coprolite is fossilized feces. Coprolites are classified as trace fossils as opposed to body fossils, as they give evidence of the animal's behavior (in this case, diet) rather than morphology. They were first described by William Buckland in 1829. They serve a valuable purpose in paleontology because they provide direct evidence of the predation and diet of extinct organisms. Coprolites can vary in size from a few millimeters to more than 60 centimeters. Like other fossils, coprolites have had much of their original composition replaced by mineral deposits such as silicates and calcium carbonates.

Miocene

Toledo, Lewis County, Washington (USA