Glossary T
Talons
Sharp claws
Talus
1. The heel. 2. Slumped rock at the base of a hill.
Taphogram
A visual record of the changes that have affected an assemblage of animal remains between death and the present fossil record.
Taphonomy / Taphonomic
1. The scientific study of the changes that have affected animal remains in the period between the death of the animal and the discovery and examination of the animal as part of the fossil record; the changes may include biological and geologocal effects as well as physical influences; e.g., scavenging, trampling, or other interference by living organisms including humans. 2. The process by which an assemblage of fossils is formed, Thus, taphonomic
Target rocks
The surface rocks that an asteroid or comet impactor smashes into in a meteorite impact event.
Tarsus / Tarsal
1. The region in which the legg and the foot join; the ankle joint.
2. The bones forming this joint. Thus, tarsal
Taxon [plural] Taxa
1. Any group of organisms considered to be sufficiently distinct from other groups to be classified together. 2. Specifically, a group of organisms classified together on the basis of sharing a single common ancestor.
Taxonomic
Relating to taxonomy, or according to the principles of taxonomy.
Taxonomy
1. The scientific theories and techniques that are involved in classifying organism into groups according to an esthablished set of principles. 2. Specifically, the classification of organisms into groups on the basis of common ancestry.
Tektites
Natural, silica-rich, homogeneous glasses produced by complete melting and dispersed as droplets during terrestrial impact events. They range in color from black or dark brown to gray or green and most are spherical in shape. Tektites have been found in four regional deposits or “strewn fields” on the Earth’s surface: North America, Czechoslovakia (the moldavite tektites), Ivory Coast, and Australasia.
Temporal
1. A bone on either side of the skull, forming part of its lateral surface. 2. Of or relating to this region of the skull.
Temporal fenestra
Opening in the skull in the temple area. Many vertebrates are classified by how many temporal fenestrae they have
Territoriality
A behavior pattern (territorial behaviour) in which an organism, or group of same-species organisms, will live or spend extended time whitin one generally defined area, which is defined against intrusion by others of the same species.
Terrestrial
1. Living on land as opposed to living in water. 2. Living on the ground as opposed to living in trees.
Tertiary Period
This follows the Cretaceous Period and charts the rise of mammals from 65 million years ago to the recent past (1.8 million years ago the start of the Quaternary Period)
Testudoid / Testudinal
Relating to or resembling a tortoise or turtle.
Tethys
A sea which in former times separated Laurasia from Gondwana. A remmant of this seaway is the Mediterranean.
Tetrapod
1, An animal having four legs or limbs.
2. Amphibians ans amniotes.
Thanatocoenosis / Thanatocoenose
An assemblage of fossils that formed after the death of the organisms but that does not necessarily indicate a corresponding behavioral association of these organisms in life. Also, thanatocoenose.
Thecodont / Thecodontia
See also Acrodont, 1. Describing a form of tooth arrangement in which the teeth are ser in sockets. 2. An obsolete name for an animal having such an arrangement of teeth. Thus, thecodontia. Compare, acrodont, pleurodont
Therapsid
One of the Therapsida, a clade of the Synapsida. See, synapsid
Thermoregulation / Thermoregulate
1. The various processes by which the body of an organism maintains its internal temperature.
2. The ability to maintain a relatvely constant internal body temparature (i.e, to thermoregulate).
Tibia
The inner and larger bone of the hind leg.
Tibiotarsus
In birds and some dinosaurs, the hind limb bone formed by the fusion of the bottom of the tibia, or calf bone, with the astragalus, the largest ankle bone of dinosaurs and birds. In most dinosaurs, the astragalus was firmly attached to the tibia but not fused with it
b
The recording of internal body images by means of an X-ray device (tomograph) that moves an X-ray source in one direction as the film is moved in the opposite direction, to show a predetermined feature of ineterest in detail while blurring the detail of other features.
Tooth battery
See battery
Topotype
A term, not regulated by the Code, for a specimen originating from the type locality of the species or subspecies to which it is thought to belong, whether or not the specimen is part of the type series.
Trace
Any mark or other evidence left by the activity of an animal; e.g., a footprint or bite mark.
Trace fossil
1. Fossil evidence of the movement or activity of an organism; e.g., a surviving footprint or track, as opposed to an actual body fossil. 2. See, index fossil.
Tracksite
A location of fossil footprints.
Trackway
A location of fossil footprints showing a pattern of movement along a certain course.
Transverse process
A process of bone growing out of the neural arch or out of the side of a centrum of a vertebra, sometimes serving as the site of attachment for ribs
Trenches
Deep gulleys found at the edges of tetonic plates where ocean crust is sinking back into the mantle
Triassic Period
The first period of the Mesozoic Era.
Tridactyl / Tridactylous
Having three digits on the hand or foot.
Trilobite
A member of the Trilobita, an axtinct group of marine anthropods having a three-lobed body; trilobites are an important feature of the fossil record, especially the Cambrian.
Trochanter
Either of two bony processes at the upper end of the femur.
Trophic / Trophism
Relating to food or to the feeding process. Thus, trophism.
True extinction
The disappearance of all the individuals possesing a very similar but variable genome, whitout the appearance of any subsequent daughter species. Compare pseudoextinction.
Turbinate
1. Having an inverted, scroll-like shape. 2. A structure having this shape; e.g., the spongy bones of the nasal passages in living mammals and birds.
Tympanic
Relating to, involving, or affecting the ear or eardrum. // Tympanum = Trommelholte van het oor
Type / Type genus / Type species
A term used alone, or forming part of a compound term, to denote a particular kind of specimen or taxon. 1. The single individual specimen with which a scientific name is associated. 2. The taxon that determines the name of the higher taxon to which it belongs. Thus, Type genus, Type species
Type horizon
The geological stratum from which the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies was collected.
Type locality
The geographical place of capture or collection of the name-bearing type of a nominal species or ubspecies. If the name-bearing type was captured or collected after being transported by boat, vehicle, aircraft, or other human or mechanism geographic site at which a type specimen or type species was located and collected.
Type section
The original exposed location that has been used to designate a certain stratigraphic unit.
Type series
1.The series of specimens that either constitutes the name-bearing type (syntypes) of a nominal species or
subspecies or from which the name-bearing type has been or may be designated.
2.A collection of specimens that is designated as the model example of a given species or other group of organisms, and that is used as the basis for describing the group.
Type specimen
A term used in previous editions of the Code for holotype, lectotype, or neotype; also used generally for any specimen of the type series.
Sharp claws
Talus
1. The heel. 2. Slumped rock at the base of a hill.
Taphogram
A visual record of the changes that have affected an assemblage of animal remains between death and the present fossil record.
Taphonomy / Taphonomic
1. The scientific study of the changes that have affected animal remains in the period between the death of the animal and the discovery and examination of the animal as part of the fossil record; the changes may include biological and geologocal effects as well as physical influences; e.g., scavenging, trampling, or other interference by living organisms including humans. 2. The process by which an assemblage of fossils is formed, Thus, taphonomic
Target rocks
The surface rocks that an asteroid or comet impactor smashes into in a meteorite impact event.
Tarsus / Tarsal
1. The region in which the legg and the foot join; the ankle joint.
2. The bones forming this joint. Thus, tarsal
Taxon [plural] Taxa
1. Any group of organisms considered to be sufficiently distinct from other groups to be classified together. 2. Specifically, a group of organisms classified together on the basis of sharing a single common ancestor.
Taxonomic
Relating to taxonomy, or according to the principles of taxonomy.
Taxonomy
1. The scientific theories and techniques that are involved in classifying organism into groups according to an esthablished set of principles. 2. Specifically, the classification of organisms into groups on the basis of common ancestry.
Tektites
Natural, silica-rich, homogeneous glasses produced by complete melting and dispersed as droplets during terrestrial impact events. They range in color from black or dark brown to gray or green and most are spherical in shape. Tektites have been found in four regional deposits or “strewn fields” on the Earth’s surface: North America, Czechoslovakia (the moldavite tektites), Ivory Coast, and Australasia.
Temporal
1. A bone on either side of the skull, forming part of its lateral surface. 2. Of or relating to this region of the skull.
Temporal fenestra
Opening in the skull in the temple area. Many vertebrates are classified by how many temporal fenestrae they have
Territoriality
A behavior pattern (territorial behaviour) in which an organism, or group of same-species organisms, will live or spend extended time whitin one generally defined area, which is defined against intrusion by others of the same species.
Terrestrial
1. Living on land as opposed to living in water. 2. Living on the ground as opposed to living in trees.
Tertiary Period
This follows the Cretaceous Period and charts the rise of mammals from 65 million years ago to the recent past (1.8 million years ago the start of the Quaternary Period)
Testudoid / Testudinal
Relating to or resembling a tortoise or turtle.
Tethys
A sea which in former times separated Laurasia from Gondwana. A remmant of this seaway is the Mediterranean.
Tetrapod
1, An animal having four legs or limbs.
2. Amphibians ans amniotes.
Thanatocoenosis / Thanatocoenose
An assemblage of fossils that formed after the death of the organisms but that does not necessarily indicate a corresponding behavioral association of these organisms in life. Also, thanatocoenose.
Thecodont / Thecodontia
See also Acrodont, 1. Describing a form of tooth arrangement in which the teeth are ser in sockets. 2. An obsolete name for an animal having such an arrangement of teeth. Thus, thecodontia. Compare, acrodont, pleurodont
Therapsid
One of the Therapsida, a clade of the Synapsida. See, synapsid
Thermoregulation / Thermoregulate
1. The various processes by which the body of an organism maintains its internal temperature.
2. The ability to maintain a relatvely constant internal body temparature (i.e, to thermoregulate).
Tibia
The inner and larger bone of the hind leg.
Tibiotarsus
In birds and some dinosaurs, the hind limb bone formed by the fusion of the bottom of the tibia, or calf bone, with the astragalus, the largest ankle bone of dinosaurs and birds. In most dinosaurs, the astragalus was firmly attached to the tibia but not fused with it
b
The recording of internal body images by means of an X-ray device (tomograph) that moves an X-ray source in one direction as the film is moved in the opposite direction, to show a predetermined feature of ineterest in detail while blurring the detail of other features.
Tooth battery
See battery
Topotype
A term, not regulated by the Code, for a specimen originating from the type locality of the species or subspecies to which it is thought to belong, whether or not the specimen is part of the type series.
Trace
Any mark or other evidence left by the activity of an animal; e.g., a footprint or bite mark.
Trace fossil
1. Fossil evidence of the movement or activity of an organism; e.g., a surviving footprint or track, as opposed to an actual body fossil. 2. See, index fossil.
Tracksite
A location of fossil footprints.
Trackway
A location of fossil footprints showing a pattern of movement along a certain course.
Transverse process
A process of bone growing out of the neural arch or out of the side of a centrum of a vertebra, sometimes serving as the site of attachment for ribs
Trenches
Deep gulleys found at the edges of tetonic plates where ocean crust is sinking back into the mantle
Triassic Period
The first period of the Mesozoic Era.
Tridactyl / Tridactylous
Having three digits on the hand or foot.
Trilobite
A member of the Trilobita, an axtinct group of marine anthropods having a three-lobed body; trilobites are an important feature of the fossil record, especially the Cambrian.
Trochanter
Either of two bony processes at the upper end of the femur.
Trophic / Trophism
Relating to food or to the feeding process. Thus, trophism.
True extinction
The disappearance of all the individuals possesing a very similar but variable genome, whitout the appearance of any subsequent daughter species. Compare pseudoextinction.
Turbinate
1. Having an inverted, scroll-like shape. 2. A structure having this shape; e.g., the spongy bones of the nasal passages in living mammals and birds.
Tympanic
Relating to, involving, or affecting the ear or eardrum. // Tympanum = Trommelholte van het oor
Type / Type genus / Type species
A term used alone, or forming part of a compound term, to denote a particular kind of specimen or taxon. 1. The single individual specimen with which a scientific name is associated. 2. The taxon that determines the name of the higher taxon to which it belongs. Thus, Type genus, Type species
Type horizon
The geological stratum from which the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies was collected.
Type locality
The geographical place of capture or collection of the name-bearing type of a nominal species or ubspecies. If the name-bearing type was captured or collected after being transported by boat, vehicle, aircraft, or other human or mechanism geographic site at which a type specimen or type species was located and collected.
Type section
The original exposed location that has been used to designate a certain stratigraphic unit.
Type series
1.The series of specimens that either constitutes the name-bearing type (syntypes) of a nominal species or
subspecies or from which the name-bearing type has been or may be designated.
2.A collection of specimens that is designated as the model example of a given species or other group of organisms, and that is used as the basis for describing the group.
Type specimen
A term used in previous editions of the Code for holotype, lectotype, or neotype; also used generally for any specimen of the type series.