noun
trace fossil
Technical term in paleontology for fossilized remains of animal activity, such as footprints, burrows, or coprolites, rather than body parts.
この地層からは恐竜の生痕化石が多数見つかっている。
Many dinosaur trace fossils have been found in this stratum.
化石 is the general term for 'fossil', while 生痕化石 specifically refers to trace fossils (evidence of activity) as opposed to body fossils.
Compound of 生痕 (trace of life) and 化石 (fossil). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is a modern scientific coinage.