r/fossilid • • Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

709 Upvotes
  1. Put a location in the title! This is the most important thing by far. If you know the geological formation, that’s awesome, but even just “near Miami” or “label said Morocco” is really helpful.
  2. Take a bright, clear photo. Good lighting, a plain background, and sharp focus will always increase the certainty of an ID. If it’s weirdly shaped, photos from multiple angles help too.
  3. Include an object for scale. I usually use a coin, but anything will do (but things that come in different sizes, like hands, are less ideal). If you forget, you can always measure it and add that in a comment. (Don't use keys; they can be duplicated from a photo.)
  4. Don’t take a video. We can’t zoom in and the quality isn’t great — a gallery of photos on Imgur is way better.
  5. Many fossils can be dull and hard to make out. Try (gently) getting your fossil wet and see if you can get a clearer photo.
  6. Don’t be dismayed if your “fossil” turns out to just be a rock! Rocks are cool too, and if we don’t know exactly what kind of rock it is, the good folks at /r/whatsthisrock probably will.

r/fossilid • • 1h ago

Plant fossil in MDO, California

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• Upvotes

Found this in montaña de oro, California. Curious if anyone can ID the plant. I told my aunt who is a marine biologist in the area and she told me plant fossils are rare on this part of the coast.


r/fossilid • • 11h ago

Should I have brought it back?

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162 Upvotes

I found this impression of a sea urchin on a rock at Étretat, Normandy. I reasoned that that was where it belonged and did not carry it home.

Gemini said that it likely belongs to an extinct species of sea urchin.

"Fossil imprint of a cidarid sea urchin embedded within a weathered flint pebble.

A cidarid echinoid (pencil sea urchin), with features highly consistent with Stereocidaris sceptrifera (or a closely related genus like Tylocidaris) from the Late Cretaceous period (around 80–90 million years old)."


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Anyone have an idea on what these vertebrae could be from?

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1.1k Upvotes

I had a bottle of knob creek and a football for scale. I found them eroding out of a bedrock ledge in a creek that runs through my buddy’s property. (SE Oklahoma)


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

ID request - Demtre Park, SC

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6 Upvotes

Found on the beach outside of Charleston, C. What is it?


r/fossilid • • 32m ago

Is this a real ammonite fossil?

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• Upvotes

Found at local thrift store. Ammonite measures ~4 cm.


r/fossilid • • 6h ago

Found in West Runton beach, Norfolk, UK

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8 Upvotes

Any idea if this is a fossil or just a rock with strange patterns?


r/fossilid • • 12h ago

Solved Dino tooth? Location unknown.

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23 Upvotes

I was given this alleged T. Rex tooth by a friend, but I have my doubts. Is there any way to be sure?

I did lick it, and it has a similar texture to my own teeth, if that helps.

Thanks in advance 🦖


r/fossilid • • 12h ago

i found clam, take a look

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15 Upvotes

Korea, Pohang


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Broken speleothems or fossil? Northern Thailand

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3 Upvotes

Found this strange object in the mud in a cave in northern Thailand. Unsure if this is just a concretion of fallen stalactites or if it is some kind of fossil. Left it with a local caving guide after cleaning it up.


r/fossilid • • 4h ago

what kind of fossil is this? Medina, TX

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 11h ago

From Charles Knife Canyon, northern Western Australia

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6 Upvotes

The fossil itself looked to be about 2-3cm


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Split this concretion open that I collected at Mazon Creek (Carboniferous) last year. Thoughts?

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 10h ago

Any idea what this is?

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4 Upvotes

I found it in the Netherlands. Veluwezoom to be specific, in between the heath.


r/fossilid • • 12h ago

From Charles Knife Canyon, northern Western Australia

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5 Upvotes

The fossil itself looked about 2-3cm


r/fossilid • • 22h ago

WHICH KIND OF SAND DOLLAR?

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26 Upvotes

diameter 120mm

height 50mm

need your help!


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Illinois coal mine Fossil

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344 Upvotes

My fiance found this underground at his coal mine job and we aren’t having much luck identifying it! It was found as part of the Herrin coal seam in southern Illinois, Randolph county to be exact


r/fossilid • • 9h ago

Trammel Fossil Park, Ohio

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2 Upvotes

I am having trouble figuring out what this is, and rapidly realizing ChatGPT is pretty hit or miss on this stuff


r/fossilid • • 7h ago

Any ideas what this could be? Natural but weird formation of rock? Undiscovered species of dino? Found in the woods of SE MN.

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 8h ago

Southwestern lower Michigan

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1 Upvotes

Found two rocks in the decorative gravel. Wondering if fossils? Building owner unsure of where the rocks were from.


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Central Texas. What is it?

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84 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 23h ago

Fossil found near the upper Alabama River. Alabama, United States

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12 Upvotes

I’ve found many fossilized teeth and lots of coprolites here. I’m guessing this belongs to a prehistoric sea creature, but I have no idea. Any help would be appreciated.


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Possible insect - Pliocene Murray Basin South Australia

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17 Upvotes

Any ideas on this one. About 1cm in diameter. Preserved rapidly in volcanics. Notice unique shapes and spots on long abdomen or possibly wing. The closer I get the more detail is lost. Plants and animals of this region at the time (3.5ma) were similar to those from northeastern Queensland.


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Fossil from Caldwell Co. KY

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15 Upvotes

This was collected by my maternal grandfather around 1950 in Caldwell County, Kentucky. I’d like to know what this is a fossil of and why it’s so sphere like.


r/fossilid • • 20h ago

Found hiking in the Tucson mountains.

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6 Upvotes

Not completely sure if it is a fossil, but figured you folks would know!