Sunny Hill Coprolite Authentic Prehistoric Natural Fossilized Mineral Dung Stone Specimen Length 4-5" Weight 6-10 oz Coprolite is fossilized feces. Coprolites are classified as trace fossils as opposed to body fossils, as they give evidence for the animals behaviour (in this case, diet) rather than morphology. The name is derived from the Greek words p(kopros, meaning "dung") and (lithos, meaning "stone"). They serve a valuable purpose in paleontology because they provide direct evidence of the predation and diet of extinct organisms. By examining coprolites, paleontologists are able to find information about the diet of the animal, such as whether it was a herbivorous or carnivorous, and the taphonomy of the coprolites, although the producer is rarely identified unambiguously, especially with more ancient examples. In one example these fossils can be analyzed for certain minerals that are known to exist in trace amounts in certain species of plant that can still be detected millions of years later.