Fossil ID

Fossil ID
Do you think you may have found a fossil? Complete and submit the form below to get an expert opinion! We have an outstanding fossil ID team waiting to provide their thoughts on what it is you may have found.

PLEASE NOTE: The Paleontological Society is a nonprofit membership organization that works to advance the science of paleontology. The Fossil ID service is performed by dedicated volunteers for the purpose of general education. We are NOT able to provide appraisal services or advise on the potential monetary value of fossils or other items, so please do not ask!

To help us identify your find, please upload no more than three pictures of the item taken at different angles and/or sides. Please make sure image file sizes are no larger than 1.5 MB each; if they are larger, please resize them or they may not upload correctly.

Without knowing where a fossil came from, it can be impossible to fully identify it. Please include as much location information as possible, especially the approximate locality / place it was found (so we can look up formation) and stratigraphy / rock layer (if known). include this information in the “Where Was Your Fossil Found?” field. (Be as specific as possible.)

In addition to location, we need to know the relative size of the fossil to make an accurate identification. Please submit items with a scale in every photo, such as a scale bar or ruler.

Photograph all items on a neutral background such as a gray or tan background. PLEASE DO NOT USE WHITE OR BLACK BACKGROUNDS as it fools camera meters. Zoom in on your photo, if it is grainy or pixelated the ID team may not be able to evaluate.

Submissions without these requirements may experience substantial delays. As a 100% volunteer fossil identification team, we love what we do, and we want to help you get a quick and efficient ID.

We thank you for following these guidelines!
Name*

First NameLast Name
Email*
example@example.com
Where was your fossil found? (please provide as much detail as possible, including detailed location, stratigraphy if known; you may use the RockD app to learn more: https://rockd.org/)*
What Is Your Question About This Specimen?*
Are your images taken on a neutral background, in more than one angle of the specimen? (Front, back, side, etc.)*

YesNo
Does Your Fossil Image Include a Scale Bar or Ruler? (Use your hand if necessary for scale)*

YesNo
Upload up to three images of your find, but no more than three of your find. *

Pictures are very helpful if you want something identified. Be sure that a coin or ruler is part of the picture to give the object scale. Images submitted with the question may be posted as part of the answer on the FAQ page. File types allowed: jpg, jpeg, png, and gif. Maximum size 1.5MB. Please try and capture multiple angles if possible.
Cancelof
Country where fossil was found*
Nearby city/town where fossil was found*
State/Province where fossil was found*

Meet the ID Team

The Fossil ID team is ready to identify your fossil finds! The team consists of 4 individuals, some who are professionals and others who are expert amateurs.
Lee Cone is an active member of GSA and the Paleontological Society, serving on two committees for PS. He actively is involved in research on fossil shark evolution and is currently working with the professional community in this endeavor. He is an avid diver and collector of fossils, and an expert on Carolina Fossils, as well as fossils of "Shark Tooth Hill” in Bakersfield, CA.. He has found many unique specimens in the Carolinas, including the “Cone Whale” on display at the Mace Brown Museum in Charleston, SC. He has also spoken at several professional conferences, NAPC and GSA events, and is a big supporter of the FOSSIL Project (U of Florida Paleontology). He was awarded the Katherine Palmer Award in 2023 from the Paleontological Research Institute.

Roger Farish is past president and a 30-year member of the Dallas Paleontological Society where he has edited most of their publications including their latest, described as ‘everything paleontology’. Guide to Fossil Collecting by the Dallas Paleontological Society is an attempt to cover all basic aspects of our favorite avocation. He recently wrote an article called "Wannabes" that was the result of years of answering the DPS Hot Line where people can request fossil IDs among other things. After more than 30 years of annual visits to the Tucson Gem/Mineral/Fossil Exhibition mostly as an observer of the treasures coming out of countries around the world, he has acquired considerable knowledge of our earth’s prehistory of life forms. A geophysicist by training applied to oil exploration with Geophysical Service Inc. then Mobil Oil. On loan from Mobil to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia 1980-1984. Coauthor of "Collectors’ Guide to Fossil Sharks and Rays from the Cretaceous of Texas". Before retirement in 2014, he spent the previous 20 years as an Investment Advisor and Financial Planner. He currently is field trip coordinator and general advisor to the Dallas Paleo Society.

Jim Mickle is a Professor at NC State University. His research has focused mainly on “whole-plant” taxonomy of fossil plants, conifer taxonomy and phylogeny, growth and development in fossil plant vegetative organs, angiosperm fossil fruits, taxonomy and biogeography of Carboniferous and Cretaceous plants, and cuticular micromorphology of living cycads. He has concentrated research on fossil plants from eastern North America and southern Europe, and has been involved in extensive museum work with the University of Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Italy.

Michael Smith has been a member of Paleontological Society of Austin and its predecessors for over 30 years, serving variously as president, show chair, editor, webmaster, and treasurer. He is co-author of a guide to Pleistocene fossils found on the Brazos River. For many years he has volunteered at the Non-vertebrate Paleontology Lab at the University of Texas at Austin on a variety of projects including mass inventory, cabinet layout and installation, and georeferencing. The last consists of adding GPS coordinates to specimen records in the collection database based on location descriptions, some dating back to the 19th century. He particularly enjoys public outreach activities.
Should be Empty:

Fossil ID

Meet the ID Team