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Hello everyone!! I'm from Italy, new to the fossils world but I've always been fascinated by extinct creatures since I was a little kid. I've been reading posts in this forum for a little while, and I finally decided to join you guys, so that I can learn something about identification, fake/restored fossils, and much more... Can't wait to know more about this world!!

Hello all, I am considering buying this specimen but I know that fossil seahorses are often conflated with fossil pipe fish, which are more common and less valuable. Can anyone weigh in on the authenticity of this identification and whether or not the specimen appears to have been altered? Thanks!

I encountered this facing stone in the lobby of the Chicago Board of Trade building (1930). It’s some kind of cobble conglomerate(?) but I’ve never seen its like. The security guard said it was from Italy, but I haven’t done further research. Photos below show fossils and various lithologies. Help, please!

Hello everybody. My name is Marco, I live in Italy. I have a small collection of fossils and would like to share experiences with other collectors -

Hi, my name is Stefano and I'm from Italy. I' m fond of dinosaur since I was a child. Thanks you all.

The fossils were found in the 70s in northern Sardinia during the excavations for the construction of a road. I do not know the exact location, but I know that it is the north of Sardinia. The coin is 1 euro (it's similar in size to an American quarter.) What could it be? Thanks in advance

Hi guys, new to the Forum! I'm a Geology and Paleontology university student from Italy, and also a fossil collector! I hope will share my pieces as well as my help with the members!

Hello everybody! I'm new here. I come from the south of Italy, I'm really passionate about fossils and paleontology in general. I will be glad to communicate, read about your collections and exchange information. I'm very happy to join this community:)

Hi all, I got this fossil fish from an uncle of mine but he didn't know ID and origin. Could you please help me out identifying the right species? Thank you

Hello, Last saturday I had a trek in a mountain area in the northen Italy alps and I found this fossil (I'm not actaully 100% sure that it's a fossil, but I don't know what else could it be). It looks like an echinoderm fossil to me, but I'd like to ask your opinion about it. Thanks a lot, have a nice day. Oz

Hello everyone, I was just searching the internet to find out what animal's tooth I found the other day, when I came across this lovely forum full of expertise. So I'd kindly like to ask if someone would help me identify the animal that was once the proud owner of this tooth. Some info: - Find place: southwestern Siciliy - age: some 2500 years / late Holocene - found in an archaeological context Any ideas greatly appreciated. Steffen

Hi everybody! My name is Max, i'm 33 and i'm from Tuscany, Italy. I decided to register me in the forum because i start to collecting fossils and i want to learn more about it. I have some trilobites, ammonites and several teeth of different species... I'm quite a beginner but i have a strong will to learn with humility as much as i can. Thanks for gave me the possibility to join this forum!

Hello everybody can somebody help me identifying my fossil fish (4cm) I am pretty convinced that it concerns the exellia velifer from monte bolca looking forward to Your replies regards Rienk

Hello, have some idea about it? Found in 1906 in Italy, Bellagio country Dimension about 4 cm long thanks

Hello dear members, Today I'd like to talk about my latest fieldtrip, to the Late Triassic tracksite of Zone, Lombardy prealps, Italy. However, I'd like to make it clear that it involved no fossil collecting, because of the scientific interest of the site and of italian laws, that prevent (almost) any form of this activity. I know there is the "Fossil sites" section, but I thought that here my post would have reached more people. I apologize in case this is not allowed. Let's not waste any more time! Italy is quite well know for its tracksites, in particular those bearing dinosaur tracks: Altamura (the largest tracksite in Europe!) and Lavini di Marco, just to give an example. On the other hand sites of Late Triassic age, bearing archosaurian footprints are poorly documented. Zone is a tiny village located nearby the Lake Iseo, in the Southern prealps, some 80 km (50 mi) east of Milan (see the red arrow on the map below). Back in the Late Triassic (Carnian) this area was an alluvial fan, characterized by a semiarid climate and, further to the south, by the occurrence of a series of volcanic edifices. Tracks are, in fact, preserved in terrigenous-volcaniclastic beds. Ripple marks and groove casts can be found too. The material is represented by a total of about 70 footprints, arranged in six trackways on two different layers. The older displays three trackways that cross each other, the younger three distinct trackways. Footprints are only moderately preserved, nonetheless several anatomical details are evident on those of the younger level. In addition to traditional mapping methods, a laser scanner was employed to obtain high-quality 3D digital models. Let's talk about who left this footprints for us to admire! Those of the younger level are referred to a quadrupedal trackmaker with plantigrade, pentadactyl pes (distal portion of the hind limb) and manus (distal portion of the fore limb). They have been assigned to the ichnogenus Brachychirotherium, known by a global distribution and probably left by a crurotarsan archosaur. It is not clear whether it was a rauisuchian (predator) or an aetosaur (armored vegetarian). On the field, I must admit that I was a little disappointed. Judging by the pictures published in the 2009 paper that described the outcrop, at least two trackways were quite distinct and visible. However, that was not the case: only 4 tracks (two manus and two pes) were indeed immediately identifiable. I guess that's possibly due to two factors: on the one hand weathering (the fine grained sandstone is very fragile), on the other hand inclination of solar rays. Tracks are best visible in raking light, but I visited at around 10-11 am in a clear February day. In the summer period I'm quite sure that much more could be seen!! In order to highlight the footprints and compare with the presente state, I chose to show also a pictures taken from the paper: you can distinghuish it easily, because it is in b/w. Today this is the best that you could ask for in this section (older layer) The overall best preserved manus-pes track, in the younger layer. Reconstruction of this set of footrprints Close up of the Manus, scale bar is 5 cm (2 in). total lenght of the track: some 30 cm (11,8 in). The second best preserved manus-pes association Reconstruction of a rauisuchian (on the left) and an aetosaur (on the right). On top lower right digital model of the best preserved trackway (I showed you the picture of the first two sets of imprints). A rauisuchian The significance of the Zone tracksite is that it represents the first definite ichnological record of archosaur tracks found in Lombardy and footprints are among the best preserved, although an upcoming paper is going to feature recently found tracks that are even better preserved (and I gave my contribution in the excavation campaign!). On the field, I must admit that I was a little disappointed. Judging by the pictures published in the 2009 paper that described the outcrop, at least two trackways were quite distinct and visible. However, that was not the case: only 4 tracks (two manus and two pes) were indeed immediately identifiable. I guess that's possibly due to two factors: on the one hand weathering (the fine grained sandstone is very fragile), on the other hand inclination of solar rays. Tracks are best visible in raking light, but I visited at around 10-11 am in a clear February day. In the summer period I'm quite sure that much more could be seen!! Anyway, it was a great experience: easy access, few people walking by, great scientific value! I hope that you liked my short report, Fabio

Hi everyone, thanks for welcoming me. My name is Marco and I am a student of natural sciences in Italy. I am one of the administrators of a paleontology forum in my country, and I have known your forum for a long time. I decided to register because I was thinking of preparing fossils and here I found many useful discussions. I am interested in fossils of fish and reptiles, but I also collect other types of fossil finds. thanks again for the welcome, a greeting to everyone! Marco Sabia