Search
Index fossil
01
a fossilized organism that is useful for dating and correlating the strata in which it is found, typically indicative of a particular time period in Earth's geological history
index fossil
n
Example
The presence of ammonite shells in a layer serves as an index fossil for the Jurassic period.
Geologists rely on index fossils to determine the relative age of sedimentary rock formations.
Studying index fossils aids in understanding evolutionary patterns and ancient ecosystems.
Index fossils help establish the geological timeline and the sequence of events in Earth's history.
