Dubiofossil

Definition

A dubiofossil is a problematic structure that looks like a fossil but whose biological origin is uncertain or ambiguous. Several physical and chemical processes may produce structures resembling biological structures. In the recent literature, scientists also use the terms “putative,” “possible,” “probable” to designate an increasing confidence in the biological origin (biogenicity) of a structure, molecule, or pattern, while “pseudofossil” is used for an umambiguous abiotic structure, molecule, or pattern. Detailed analyses and criteria of biogenicity have to be applied on the dubiofossils to move them to the category of fossils (biogenic or biological structures) or pseudofossils(abiogenic or non-biological structures). This requires also a good understanding of the physico-chemical conditions of formation and preservation of the structure (the geological context and taphonomy), and observations at several scales. This is a crucial point when looking for early traces of...