Fossils are physical evidence of preexisting organisms, either plant or animal. ... Fossils of any kind are useful in "reading the rock record," meaning they help us decipher the history of the earth. They can help us determine the geologic age and environment (the paleoenvironment) in which they were deposited.
For example, the ABO system of blood groups is controlled by three alleles, only two of which are present in an individual.