pseudofossil

plural pseudofossils

1. Any object, marking or impression that resembles a fossil but whose origin is non-biological.

   F illustrates unicellular forms preserved in fine-grained carbonate; it is uncertain whether these are actual microfossils or pseudofossils formed during crystallisation of the carbonate.[…]L-N appear to be charcoal-like pseudofossils.

   2004 March, Microbiology Australia, Volume 5, Number 1, Australian Society for Microbiology, page 38

   2 more examples

   2005, Sören Jensen, Mary L. Droser, James G. Gehling, Trace fossil preservation and the early evolution of animals, Loren E. Babcock, Interpretation of Biological and Environmental Changes across the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian Boundary, Elsevier, page 26, The distinction between a trace fossil and a pseudofossil is far from trivial (see discussion in Ekdale et al., 1984, pp. 29–36).

   Although these criteria seem precise, establishing the biogenicity of ancient fossils has proven to be the most difficult task. This is largely due to the facts that pseudofossils can mimic convincingly the characteristics of microfossils, and that an Archean microfossil record to which objects can be compared is very rare (Schopf and Walter, 1983; Schopf, 204).

   2006, Anna M. Carnerup et al., “The Record of Early Life: In Search of Biosignatures”, in Joseph Seckbach, editor, Life as We Know It, Springer, page 244