Final answer:
A paleopathologist is consulted for studying ancient human remains for signs of disease, while a paleontologist focuses on fossils of all organisms to learn about past life. If the remains are part of a crime scene investigation, a forensic anthropologist is involved in determining human origin and demographic details, aiding a forensic pathologist in causation of death.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you have found a skeleton and need to understand more about it, you would contact a paleopathologist if you believe the skeleton may have signs of disease from ancient times or offer insights into past human conditions. Paleopathologists specialize in the study of ancient diseases and can provide valuable information regarding the health, lifestyle, and causes of death of past populations. They analyze skeletal remains to discern patterns of illness and injury within ancient societies.
In contrast, if you discovered the remains were not of human origin, you might contact a paleontologist, who is a scientist specializing in studying fossils to learn about evolution and understand past life. This distinction is crucial because paleontologists have a deep understanding of prehistoric life forms and their environments, which differs from the expertise required to analyze human remains.
Moreover, when human remains are involved and there is potential for a crime scene investigation, a forensic anthropologist would first determine whether the remains are human and collect data such as age, sex, race, and height. Their findings would then support a forensic pathologist in making determinations regarding the cause of death.