General Education

[RushCountyRocks]

Two questions here, what are general things to look for when deciding whether a fossil is fake or real? Guidance asked for especially when it comes to Moroccan imports, and mosasaur anything, crinoids, and trilobites, as well as pleistocene mammal fossils. The latter question, is there any massive list of information sort of like an identification guide for fossils? I saw this massive list fruitbat had and its very impressive and I shall put it to use, but i feel it's almost a little bit beyond me at certain times, is there any just general all encompassing guide to identification? 

[Troodon]

Went it comes to purchasing Moroccan fossils I think you need to be very cautious and assume that it highly probably it's been tampered with.  They are very skilled in compositing specimens as well as fakes.  My suggestion is that until you feel comfortable with identifying problems you post items your interested in under the topic "is it real? how to identify fossil fabrications"

 

There is tons of information available on this site.  Use the search engine to look for a specific topic, since your interests are quite broad. 

[DPS Ammonite]

 

I have and love the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils" which I use to roughly ID a fossil to help with a more detailed internet search. The guide is small enough to carry in a knapsack.

 

Consider purchasing both "Index Fossils of North America" by Shimer and Shrock and "Invertebrate Fossils" by R.C. Moore. Look for the series "Treatise of Invertebrate Paleontology" at your local university or public library.

 

See this previous post: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/54433-any-recommendations-for-what-to-read-for-fossil-id-and-rocks/#comment-582214