Description

The collection case containing coprolite measures 3 inches long and .75 inches in height.  Each collection of coprolite will be unique in size and color.

Coprolite is fossilized Dinosaur Dung (poop), one of the rarest dinosaur fossils.  Coprolites start out as organic waste matter that have been mineralized. Over time all of the original material is replaced by minerals such as silicates or calcium carbonates. These minerals take the exact shape of the original specimen. The process of mineralization is called petrification. Coprolites provide a direct link to the dinosaurs diet, giving paleontologists evidence of extinct organisms.  Scientists studying a rock hard pile of poop learn about the metabolism, physiology and environment of the dinosaur that produced it.  At 65-500 millions year old, they range from 1/4 inch to over 24 inches. The word coprolite comes from the Greek words kopros and lithos, which mean “dung stone”.