Paleomerda

Paleomerda is a proposed informal term used in paleontology to describe fossilized excrement, more commonly known as coprolites. The term itself is a portmanteau derived from "paleo," meaning ancient, and "merda," a Latin word for feces. While not a formal scientific classification, it is sometimes used colloquially by paleontologists and enthusiasts to refer to fossil dung.

Coprolites are valuable in the study of prehistoric life. They can provide direct evidence of the diet of extinct animals, offering insights into their feeding habits, trophic level within an ecosystem, and even the types of plants or prey available during their time. The presence of undigested bone fragments, scales, or plant matter within coprolites can be crucial for identifying the animal that produced them and understanding its place in the food web.

The study of coprolites, or paleoscatology, involves analyzing their composition, shape, and size. These analyses can reveal information about the digestive processes of ancient organisms and the environmental conditions they inhabited. Paleomerda, in its informal usage, encompasses this entire field of study and the fossilized material itself, serving as a memorable, albeit crude, descriptor for these important paleontological finds.