coprocoenosis

English

Etymology

From copro- +‎ coenose.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɑ.pɹʊˈsiːnəʊsəs/

Noun

coprocoenosis (plural coprocoenoses)

1. A collection of bones that are found together in a fossilized scat, having previously existed as part of animals within a paleocommunity.
   • 1974, J. S. Mellett, Scatological origin of microvertebrate fossil accumulations‎^[1]:

     Such fossil specimens passed into or through the digestive tracts of carnivores before being left as scat that was later reworked into sedimentary rocks. The term "coprocoenosis" is proposed for such an assemblage.

   • 2016, Loïc Lebreton, Multi-taxa referential of a modern Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo) aerie‎^[2]:

     Small mammal fossil accumulations are generally the result of both coprocoenosis and post-depositional processes.

Related terms

• thanatocoenosis
• biocoenose
• coprolite