Fossil Type
Body Fossils
Body fossils are the preserved remains of an organism's actual body parts — bones, shells, teeth, leaves, and sometimes even soft tissues. They are the most recognizable type of fossil and provide direct evidence of an organism's anatomy. Body fossils range from tiny microfossils visible only under a microscope to complete dinosaur skeletons spanning dozens of meters.
Formation
How Body Fossils Form
Body fossils form when an organism's hard parts (bones, shells, exoskeletons) are buried quickly in sediment before decomposition can destroy them. Over millions of years, mineral-rich groundwater percolates through the sediment, replacing original biological material molecule by molecule with minerals like calcite, silica, or pyrite — a process called permineralization. In exceptional cases, soft tissues like skin, feathers, or internal organs can be preserved through rapid burial in anoxic (oxygen-free) environments.
Field Guide
How to Identify Body Fossils
- 1Look for recognizable anatomical structures — bones, shells, teeth
- 2Often show detailed surface texture (growth lines, pores, sutures)
- 3May be heavier than expected due to mineral replacement
- 4Color often differs from surrounding rock (darker or lighter)
Examples
Common Examples
Dinosaur bones, trilobite exoskeletons, ammonite shells, fossil leaves, petrified wood, shark teeth, brachiopod shells.
Collection
Body Fossils in the Codex (403)

Acanthostega
devonian

Acrocanthosaurus
cretaceous

Adelobasileus
triassic

Agnostus
cambrian

Alalcomenaeus
cambrian

Albertonectes
cretaceous

Albertosaurus
cretaceous

Amaltheus
jurassic

Amargasaurus
cretaceous

Ambulocetus
paleogene

Amebelodon
neogene

American Mastodon
quaternary

Amphicyon
neogene

Amplectobelua
cambrian

Andrewsarchus
paleogene

Anhanguera
cretaceous

Ankylosaurus
cretaceous
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Anomalocaris canadensis (Burgess Shale)
cambrian

Araripesaurus
cretaceous

Archaeocidaris
carboniferous

Archelon
cretaceous

Ardi (ARA-VP-6/500)
neogene

Ardipithecus ramidus
neogene

Argentavis
neogene

Argentinosaurus
cretaceous

Askeptosaurus
triassic

Asteroceras
jurassic

Atrypa
devonian

Attenborosaurus
jurassic

Australopithecus
neogene

Australopithecus afarensis
neogene

Australopithecus africanus
pliocene/pleistocene

Baculites
cretaceous

Barbourofelis
neogene

Baryonyx
cretaceous

Basilemys
cretaceous

Basilosaurus
paleogene

Basilosaurus cetoides
paleogene

Belemnitella
cretaceous

Berlin Archaeopteryx (HMN 1880)
jurassic

Big Al (MOR 693)
jurassic

Borealopelta
cretaceous

Bothriolepis
devonian

Brontosaurus
jurassic

Brontotherium
paleogene

Bumastus
silurian

Cacops
permian

Calymene
silurian

Camarasaurus
jurassic

Camptosaurus
jurassic

Canadaspis
cambrian

Carcharodontosaurus
cretaceous

Carnotaurus
cretaceous

Castoroides
quaternary

Caulkicephalus
cretaceous

Cave Bear
quaternary

Cave Hyena
quaternary

Centrosaurus
cretaceous

Cephalaspis
devonian

Ceratites
triassic

Ceraurus
ordovician

Chalicothere
neogene

Champsosaurus
paleogene

Chasmosaurus
cretaceous

Cheirolepis
devonian

Citipati
cretaceous

Cloudina
ediacaran

Clymenia
devonian

Coccosteus
devonian

Coelophysis
triassic

Columbian Mammoth
quaternary

Compsognathus
jurassic

Conularia
devonian

Coryphodon
paleogene

Corythosaurus
cretaceous

Cretoxyrhina
cretaceous
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Crinoid (Sea lily) slab
carboniferous

Cryptoclidus
jurassic

Cylindroteuthis
jurassic

Cynognathus
triassic

Cystoid
ordovician

Dactylioceras
jurassic

Daeodon
neogene

Dakota the Edmontosaurus Mummy
cretaceous

Dalmanites
silurian

Dapedium
jurassic

Darwinius (Ida)
paleogene

Daspletosaurus
cretaceous

Deinonychus
cretaceous

Deinosuchus
cretaceous

Deinotherium
neogene

Denisovan
quaternary

Desmatosuchus
triassic

Dicynodon
permian

Diictodon
permian

Dilophosaurus
jurassic

Dimetrodon
permian

Dimorphodon
jurassic

Dinomischus
cambrian

Diplocaulus
permian

Diplodocus
jurassic

Dippy the Diplodocus (CM 84)
jurassic

Diprotodon
quaternary

Dire Wolf
quaternary

Dodo
quaternary

Dorudon
paleogene

Douvilleiceras
cretaceous

Dreadnoughtus
cretaceous

Dromornis
neogene

Drotops
devonian

Dryosaurus
jurassic

Dsungaripterus
cretaceous

Edaphosaurus
permian

Edmontosaurus
cretaceous

Effigia
triassic

Einiosaurus
cretaceous

Elasmotherium
quaternary

Elephant Bird
quaternary

Elrathia
cambrian

Enchodus
cretaceous

Endoceras
ordovician

Entelodon
paleogene

Eoraptor
triassic

Epicyon
neogene

Equus scotti
quaternary

Eryops
permian

Estemmenosuchus
permian

Eudimorphodon
triassic

Euoplocephalus
cretaceous

Europasaurus
jurassic
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Eurypterid (Sea scorpion)
silurian

Eusthenopteron
devonian

Exogyra
cretaceous

Favosites
silurian

Fighting Dinosaurs Specimen
cretaceous

Fuxianhuia
cambrian

Gallimimus
cretaceous

Giant Moa
quaternary

Gigantspinosaurus
jurassic

Globidens
cretaceous

Glyptodon
quaternary

Gomphotherium
neogene

Goniatite
carboniferous

Gorgonops
permian

Gorgosaurus
cretaceous

Graptolite
silurian

Great Auk
quaternary

Greenops
devonian

Gryphaea
jurassic

Haast's Eagle
quaternary

Hadrosaurus
cretaceous

Halysites
silurian

Hamites
cretaceous

Hatzegopteryx
cretaceous

Helicoprion
permian

Helmetia
cambrian

Henodus
triassic

Hesperocyon
paleogene

Hesperornis
cretaceous

Heterodontosaurus
jurassic

Hexagonaria
devonian

Hildoceras
jurassic

Hipparion
neogene

Hippurites
cretaceous

Homo erectus
quaternary

Homo ergaster
quaternary

Homo floresiensis
quaternary

Homo habilis
quaternary

Homo heidelbergensis
quaternary

Homo naledi
quaternary

Homo neanderthalensis
quaternary

Homotherium
quaternary

Hoplites
cretaceous

Huayangosaurus
jurassic

Hurdia
cambrian

Hybodus
jurassic

Hylonomus
carboniferous

Hyneria
devonian

Hyolithes
cambrian

Hypacrosaurus
cretaceous

Hypsilophodon
cretaceous

Hyracotherium
paleogene

Ichthyornis
cretaceous

Ichthyostega
devonian

Iguanodon
cretaceous

Indricotherium
paleogene

Inoceramus
cretaceous

Inostrancevia
permian

Insect in amber
paleogene

Irish Elk
quaternary

Isotelus
ordovician

Jaekelopterus
devonian

Jeholopterus
jurassic

Josephoartigasia
neogene

Kannemeyeria
triassic

Keichousaurus
triassic

Kelenken
neogene

Kettneraspis
silurian

Knightia
paleogene

Kosmoceratops
cretaceous

Kronosaurus
cretaceous

Lambeosaurus
cretaceous

Lariosaurus
triassic

Leanchoilia
cambrian

Leedsichthys
jurassic

Leonardo (JRF 115H)
cretaceous

Lepidotes
jurassic

Leptoceratops
cretaceous

Leptomeryx
paleogene

Lingula
ordovician

Liopleurodon
jurassic

Lucy (AL 288-1)
neogene

Lunulicardium
devonian

Lystrosaurus
permian

Macrauchenia
quaternary

Maiasaura
cretaceous

Majungasaurus
cretaceous

Mamenchisaurus
jurassic

Mapusaurus
cretaceous

Massospondylus
jurassic

Mastodonsaurus
triassic

Mawsonia
cretaceous

Megacerops
paleogene

Megalania
quaternary

Megalodon
neogene
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Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) tooth
neogene

Megalosaurus
jurassic

Megarachne
carboniferous

Megatherium
quaternary

Meiolania
quaternary

Merychippus
neogene

Merycoidodon
paleogene

Mesohippus
paleogene

Mesosaurus
permian

Metoposaurus
triassic

Minmi
cretaceous

Miragaia
jurassic

Mixosaurus
triassic

Moeritherium
paleogene

Mononykus
cretaceous

Morganucodon
triassic

Mosasaurus
cretaceous

Moschops
permian

Mucrospirifer
devonian

Muttaburrasaurus
cretaceous

Myllokunmingia
cambrian

Naraoia
cambrian

Nectocaris
cambrian

Neohibolites
cretaceous

Nigersaurus
cretaceous

Nimravus
paleogene

Nipponites
cretaceous

Nodosaurus
cretaceous

Nothosaurus
triassic

Nothronychus
cretaceous

Nyctosaurus
cretaceous

Olenellus
cambrian

Olenoides
cambrian

Oligokyphus
jurassic

Ophiacodon
permian

Ophthalmosaurus
jurassic

Ordovician Nautiloid
ordovician

Ornithomimus
cretaceous

Orrorin tugenensis
neogene

Orthoceras
ordovician

Otodus
paleogene

Ouranosaurus
cretaceous

Oviraptor
cretaceous

Pachycephalosaurus
cretaceous

Pachyrhinosaurus
cretaceous

Pakicetus
paleogene

Palaeomastodon
paleogene

Panderichthys
devonian

Paraceratherium
neogene

Paradoxides
cambrian

Paranthropus boisei
quaternary

Paranthropus robustus
quaternary

Passaloteuthis
jurassic

Passenger Pigeon
quaternary
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Patagotitan mayorum (Femur)
cretaceous

Pelagornis
neogene

Pentaceratops
cretaceous

Pentacrinites
jurassic

Pentamerus
silurian

Pentremites
carboniferous

Pholidophorus
jurassic

Phorusrhacos
neogene

Placerias
triassic

Placodus
triassic

Platecarpus
cretaceous

Plateosaurus
triassic

Platybelodon
neogene

Plesiosaur
jurassic

Plesiosaurus
jurassic

Pliosaurus
jurassic

Postosuchus
triassic

Preondactylus
triassic

Prionosuchus
permian

Priscacara
paleogene

Probainognathus
triassic

Procoptodon
quaternary

Productus
carboniferous

Prognathodon
cretaceous

Proterogyrinus
carboniferous

Protoceratops
cretaceous

Psittacosaurus
cretaceous

Pteranodon
cretaceous

Pteraspis
devonian

Pterodactylus
jurassic

Pterodaustro
cretaceous

Pterygotus
silurian

Pulmonoscorpius
carboniferous

Pyrotherium
paleogene

Quetzalcoatlus
cretaceous

Quinkana
neogene to quaternary

Radiolites
cretaceous

Rafinesquina
ordovician

Receptaculites
ordovician

Redlichia
cambrian

Requienia
cretaceous

Rhamphorhynchus
jurassic

Robertia
permian

Rugops
cretaceous

Rugose Horn Coral
devonian

Sahelanthropus tchadensis
neogene

Saltasaurus
cretaceous

Sanctacaris
cambrian

Sarcosuchus
cretaceous

Saurolophus
cretaceous

Sauropelta
cretaceous

Scaphites
cretaceous

Scotty the T. rex (RSM P2523.8)
cretaceous

Scutellosaurus
jurassic

Scutosaurus
permian

Sebecus
paleogene

Seymouria
permian

Shonisaurus
triassic

Short-faced Bear
quaternary

Shunosaurus
jurassic

Sidneyia
cambrian

Sivatherium
quaternary

Smilodon
quaternary

Sophie the Stegosaurus (NHMUK PV R36730)
jurassic

Sordes
jurassic

Sphenacodon
permian

Spinosaurus
cretaceous

Spirifer
carboniferous

Stan the T. rex (BHI 3033)
cretaceous

Stegodon
quaternary

Stegosaurus
jurassic

Stenopterygius
jurassic

Stethacanthus
carboniferous

Struthiomimus
cretaceous

Stupendemys
neogene

Styracosaurus
cretaceous

Styxosaurus
cretaceous

Suchomimus
cretaceous

Sue the T. rex (FMNH PR 2081)
cretaceous

Syndyoceras
neogene

Synthetoceras
neogene

Syringopora
carboniferous

Tanystropheus longobardicus
triassic

Tapejara
cretaceous

Tarbosaurus
cretaceous

Taung Child
quaternary

Teleoceras
neogene

Temnodontosaurus
jurassic

Tenontosaurus
cretaceous

Tentaculites
devonian

Teratornis
quaternary

Thalassomedon
cretaceous

Thalattosaurus
triassic

Thrinaxodon
triassic

Thylacoleo
quaternary

Thylacosmilus
neogene

Tiktaalik
devonian

Titanis
quaternary

Torosaurus
cretaceous

Toxodon
quaternary

Triarthrus
ordovician
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Trilobite (Phacops rana)
devonian

Trix the T. rex (RGM 792.000)
cretaceous

Troodon
cretaceous

Tropeognathus
cretaceous

Tsintaosaurus
cretaceous

Tuojiangosaurus
jurassic

Tupuxuara
cretaceous

Turkana Boy (KNM-WT 15000)
quaternary

Turrilites
cretaceous

Tylosaurus
cretaceous

Uintatherium
paleogene
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Ursus spelaeus (Cave Bear)
quaternary

Utahraptor
cretaceous

Varanops
permian

Vetulicola
cambrian

Walliserops
devonian

Woolly Mammoth
quaternary

Woolly Rhinoceros
quaternary

Xenacanthus
carboniferous

Xiphactinus
cretaceous

Yi qi
jurassic

Yutyrannus
cretaceous

Zuul
cretaceous