pseudofossiladj.n.

1860 F. T. Buckland Curiosities Nat. Hist. 2nd Ser. 59 In the Zoological Gardens, at Bristol, I observed a pseudo-fossil impression of a duck's foot, which I am convinced, would have taken my father's fancy immensely had he seen it.

1943 L. Eiseley in Sci. Amer. Mar. 118/3 Specimens of pseudo-fossil men can be classified into two general types: first, the ‘normal’ individual who represents..a more primitive appearance than the average for his group; and, second, the individual who, through a glandular disorder, has suffered a marked thickening of the bony structure.

2002 Nature 7 Mar. 73 Discriminating between true microbial fossils and microscopic pseudofossil 'lookalikes' can be difficult.

1898 Science 4 Feb. 179/1 Professor Kemp summarized the work of the author [sc. Dr Beringer of Würzburg] in attempting to explain a great collection of pseudo-fossils from a theological standpoint, the fossils having previously been made by some practical jokers and buried in the rocks for the author to find.

1935 Jrnl. Palaeontol. 9 46/2 Pseudofossils: Mud flow ridges; Ripple marks or dimplings.

1963 D. W. Humphries & E. E. Humphries tr. H. Termier & G. Termier Erosion & Sedimentation x. 215 These markings sometimes resemble the imprint of shells..and might then be called pseudo-fossils.

1991 R. Goldring Fossils in Field v. 93 Dendritic markings..caused by decomposition of a manganese film along bedding or joint surfaces are another common pseudofossil.