Fossils

[Deeisenberg]

Its fairly simple.
Baculites is an ammonite, while orthoceras is a nautilus.
This means that bacilutes will have very complex suture structures, kinda shaped like flowers (at least I think so). Orthoceras is different, its sutures are just straight lines.

Baculites is an ammonite, as well as an ammonoid with ammonitic sutures (not all ammonoids/ammonites have ammonitic sutures). Orthoceras is not a nautilus, it is a nautiloid with nautiloid sutures. I don't mean to be nit picky, but it is a very real difference, and if you confuse them you may not get credit on a test.

[gneissisnice]

Its fairly simple.
Baculites is an ammonite, while orthoceras is a nautilus.
This means that bacilutes will have very complex suture structures, kinda shaped like flowers (at least I think so). Orthoceras is different, its sutures are just straight lines.

Baculites is an ammonite, as well as an ammonoid with ammonitic sutures (not all ammonoids/ammonites have ammonitic sutures). Orthoceras is not a nautilus, it is a nautiloid with nautiloid sutures. I don't mean to be nit picky, but it is a very real difference, and if you confuse them you may not get credit on a test.

Sorry, youre right. I meant Nautiloid.

[JonnyC]

As someone starting fossils next year, what do you think should be my first step? I've begun looking at the wiki (thanks a ton!) and taking notes. I'll probably get started on ID soon. What else is there?

[Sunshine]

There's too many places to start... First step should be probably finding yourself a nice field guide. I personally prefer the Audobon because if you can ID everything easily and know the important stuff, the Audobon can be useful for finding additional information. Not to mention it also has pretty nice information on the time periods and fossil bearing rocks. Then when the new fossils list comes out, put sticky notes over everything you don't need to know so when you're flipping around, you won't be distracted by millions of other fossils. Then tab your handbook according to phylum, superclass/class/subclass.

Then you start working on your binder, with a page for each genus. Include a picture, taxonomic classification, mode of life, size, time range, food, movement and anything else you can think of that could be useful. Tab your binder too. After that, I would put together a table of contents based on taxonomic classification and the time range. And hopefully by that time, you'll have spent so much time working on each individual genus that without even meaning to ID the fossil, you learned to ID it anyways.

[dudeincolorado]

What I found was helpful in learning ID is actually drawing the specimen. I would break it up into phylums and draw the best sketch I can of each specimen, then to better separate the specimens I went back to the drawings and use a highlighter to mark distinguishing features. For example, pretend there's a phylum on the list with 3 different crabs (pretend with me please!). I would draw the best picture I can of each crab, then I would go back and highlight distinguishing features (i.e. large right claw, long legs, small eyes). Hope this helps!

[soobsession]

As someone starting fossils next year, what do you think should be my first step? I've begun looking at the wiki (thanks a ton!) and taking notes. I'll probably get started on ID soon. What else is there?

i feel proud i updated the wiki (added the relative/absolute dating section and something else...i forget. and somebody looked at it)

ok...basically what i did was split up the fossils list with my partner. then we both got a copy of the audubon field guide (i personally prefer that one). then we made a binder. well...my partner didnt do much so i made his part of the binder too. making the binder basically let me memorize everything cuz i handwrote a lot of the info. i used the internet...and the audubon field guide. it worked pretty well in my opinion.

[gneissisnice]

Making a binder is the best way of studying.
That way, you know where all of your info is, plus you learn a lot while making the binder.

[blufoster6]

Can anyone tell me what the class and family of fusulinids are?

[TheFossilsGuy]

Fusulinids-
Class- Fusulinid
Family: Fusulinidae
I'm not sure but i think this is right.

[TheFossilsGuy]

Does anybody know what the name Platastrophia means/originated from?