Word definitions

A

Agnathan - noun - a type of jawless fish, as any fule kno.

Ammonite - noun - an extinct type of coiled mollusc. <click here>

Anthropology - noun - the study of humans, their origins, physical characteristics, institutions, religious beliefs, social relationships etc.

Archaeology - noun - the study of man's past by scientific analysis of the material remains of his cultures.

B

Belemnite - noun - an extinct type of mollusc. <click here>

Bifurcate - verb - (as in the ribs of ammonites and brachiopods) branching in two.

Biped - noun - a creature that goes about on two legs

Bipedal - adjective - having two legs for walking around

Billion - noun - one thousand millions. (This is the American billion)

C

Carapace - noun - a hard, protective covering like that of a crustacean.

Class - noun - any of the taxonomic groups into which a phylum is divided and which contains one or more orders.

Crinoid - noun - a type of echinoderm, often with long segmented arms. <click here>

Crinoidal limestone - noun - fossiliferous limestone composed of fossilized crinoids.

D

Dinosaur - noun - any extinct terrestrial reptile of the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia, many of which were of gigantic size and abundant in the Mesozoic era.

E

Echinoderm - noun - a member of the phylum Echinodermata, which includes crinoids and echinoids. All echinoderms live in the sea, and many have spiny skin and five-fold symmetry.

Echinoid - noun - an echinoderm more commonly called a sea urchin. <click here>

Era - noun - a major division of geological time (Precambrian, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic or Cenozoic), each divided into several periods.

Extinct - noun - no longer active or alive, as in extinct species and extinct volcanoes.

Extinction - noun - dying out, especially of species.

Evolve - verb - change over time (species)

F

Family - noun - any of the taxonomic groups into which an order is divided and which contains one or more genera.

Fossil - noun - a relic, remnant, or representation of a plant or animal that existed in a past geological age, occurring in the form of mineralized bones, shells, etc., as casts, impressions and moulds, and as frozen preserved organisms.

Fossilise - verb - turn into a fossil.
American: Fossilize

Fossiliferous Limestone noun - limestone composed of small, broken fossils.

G

Genus (pl. Genera or Genuses) - noun - any of the taxonomic groups into which a family is divided and which contains one or more species.

Geology - noun - the scientific study of the origin, history, structure and composition of the earth. Good stuff!

H

Hyponome - noun - an organ used by cephalopods, like ammonites, to propel themselves through the sea by expelling a jet of water.

I

Igneous - adjective - (as in igneous rocks) formed from magma or lava that has solidified on or below the earth's surface.

Inorganic - adjective - not organic.

Invertebrate - noun - an organism not possessing a backbone.

J K

Kingdom - noun - the largest of taxonomic groups, which is divided into phyla.

L

Lava - noun - magma emanating from volcanoes and other vents, or an igneous rock formed by the cooling and solidification of magma.

Limestone - noun - a common sedimentary rock formed from the accumulation of marine organic matter. It consists mostly of white calcium carbonate but is often discoloured by contaminants such as iron.

M

Magma - noun - hot molten rock.

Marine - adjective - relating to the sea.

Metamorphic - adjective - (as in metamorphic rocks) altered considerably from the original structure and composition by pressure and heat.

Mineral - noun - any of a class of naturally occurring solid inorganic substances with a characteristic crystalline form and chemical composition.

Mollusc - noun - any invertebrate of the phylum Mollusca, having a soft, unsegmented body and often a shell, secreted by a fold of skin. American: Mollusk

MYA - abbreviation - "millions of years ago"

N O

Order - noun - any of the taxonomic groups into which a class is divided and which contains one or more families.

Organic - adjective - relating to living matter or chemicals containing carbon.

P

Palaeethnology - noun - the study of prehistoric man. American: Paleethnology

Palaeoanthropology - noun - the branch of anthropology concerned with primitive man. American: Paleoanthropology

Palaeobotanist - noun - a scientist researching palaeobotany. American: Paleobotanist

Palaeobotany American: Paleobotany  - noun - the branch of botany concerned with prehistoric plants.

Palaeontologist - noun - a scientist researching palaeontology. American: Paleontologist

Palaeontology - noun - the study of fossils to determine the structure and evolution of extinct animals and plants and the age and condition of deposition of the rock strata in which they are found. American: Paleontology

Pedicle - noun - the stalk by which a brachiopod is attached to the sea bed.

Pentameral - adjective - as in symmetry, consisting of five parts.

Petaloid - adjective - (in biology) resembling a petal, especially in shape.

Phylum (pl. Phyla) - noun - any of the taxonomic groups into which a kingdom is divided and which contains one or more classes.

Q

Quadruped - noun - a creature that goes about on four legs

Quadrupedal - adjective - having four legs for walking around

R S

Sediment - noun - mineral and organic material deposited by water, ice or wind.

Sedimentary - adjective - (as in sedimentary rocks) formed by the accumulation and consolidation of sediment.

Species - noun - any of the taxonomic groups into which a genus is divided.

Stratum (pl. Strata) - noun -  a layer, usually of rock and sediment.

Supercontinent - noun -  a real big continent. Obvious.

T

Taxonomy - noun - the branch of biology concerned with the classificiation of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure, origin, etc.

Test - noun - the shell of a sea urchin.

Theology - noun - the study of God and religion.

Trilobite - an extinct type of arthropod. <click here>

U V

Vertebrate - noun - an organism possessing a backbone.

W X Y Z

Zoology - noun - the study of animals.

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