How To Identify A Fossil
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1. Colour check
Fossils along the Jurassic Coast are usually darker than the rock around them - think greys, browns, or even jet black. If it stands out, it might be worth a second look. Location is key
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2. Symmetry – Nature’s neat.
If it looks too perfectly curved, spiralled or patterned to be random... that’s your first clue. Fossils often follow strict biological patterns: spirals, ribbing, ridges, and repeats.
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3. Texture & Weight – Run your finger across it.
Fossils tend to feel dense and smooth, almost like ceramic. If it feels gritty or crumbles, it’s probably just stone. That being said, there are plenty of fossils appear to be stone.
Belemnites
Belemnites – Jurassic Sea Bullets
Look for: Smooth, bullet-shaped fossils - sometimes brown, oraange, sometimes grey.
Tip: They’re the fossilised inner skeleton of squid-like creatures. If it looks like a Roman dart, you’re on the right track.
Found: All over Lyme Regis and Charmouth beach. They’re the most beginner-friendly find.
Photo by Chris Bien
Brachiopods
Brachiopods – Not Clams, But Close
Look for: Bumpy, ridged shells. Two halves, but not mirror images like mussels.
Trick to remember: Brachiopods open up-and-down like a drawer; bivalves open sideways like a book.
Found: Common in harder limestones inland or weathered out along Burton Bradstock, Fleet Lagoon and Blackhead.
Photo by Jan Nunns
More brachiopods
Gastropods
Gastropods - The Jurassic Sea Snails
Look for: Spiralled shells, sometimes tight like a snail or loose like a twisted cone.
Pro tip: Unlike ammonites, gastropods are asymmetrical - like a snail that turned up late for a yoga class.
Found: All over, but especially in the softer clays and shales around Lyme and Seatown.
Photo by Casey Rich
Shark Teeth
Shark Teeth
Look for: Triangular, flat, shiny enamel. May have serrated edges.
Tip: Teeth don’t erode like bone. They hold their shape and often turn dark black.
Found: Rare, but they do show up in the gravel beds, especially after storms.
Photo by Casey Rich