INTRODUCTION to

PALEONTOLOGY
BY
Syed Kamran Ali
 PALAEONTOLOGY
Chapter 1
Introduction

What is palaeontology?
•From Greek :Palaeo ) old, ancient ( ont
(being, creature( and logy )Science).

•It is the study of prehistoric life . It includes the

study of fossils to determine:
• organisms ' evolution
• Interactions with each other
• Their environments (paleoecology) .
 PALAEONTOLOGY
Introduction

What is palaeontology?

Palaeontology: is the study of ancient life

through its fossil remains or the traces of its
activity as recorded by ancient sediments.

By studying the fossils in older rocks, the

paleontologist attempts to establish an account
of how all the animals and plants, which make
up the modern biosphere evolved from their
earliest beginnings.

Hashemite university
 PALAEONTOLOGY and its Allied subjects

BIOLOGY: Study of life

1. Neontology; Study of recent life. Further divided into Botany
(study of recent plants) and Zoology (Study of recent animals)

2. Palaeontology (study of past life): divided into:

•Micropaleontology: is the branch of paleontology that studies
microfossils.
•Palaeobotany: The study of fossil plants.
•Palaeozoology: The study of fossil animals.
•Palaeoecology: the study of fossil communities environment.
•Palynology: the study of pollen and spores
 ORGANIC WORLD

Birds, Elephants, Oak, Rose,

Mammals Pine

Complex

Invertebrates Fern, Horsetail

Simple

Generalized Y-shape
diagram showing the Algae, Sponge,
relation of animal and Amoeba
plants
Primitive

First Life ?
 ANIMAL KINGDOM
Taxonomic Units

MAN DOG
Kingdom Animalia Animalia
Phylum Chordata Chordata
Class Mammalia Mammalia
Order Primate Carnivora
Family Hominidae Canidae
Genus Homo Canis
Species Sapiens Familiaris
Individual John Brown Carlo
 Principal Animal Phyla which are important in
Paleontology

Protozoa
Bryozoa
Brchiopoda
Mollusca
Arthropoda
Echinodermata
Coelentrata
Chordata