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Fossil Tracker is a personal fossil collection catalogue designed for collectors, amateur palaeontologists and researchers who wish to maintain a structured, searchable record of their collection.
Rather than simply recording "what" a specimen is, Fossil Tracker aims to document the complete story of each specimen, including:
- Scientific identification
- Geological context
- Provenance and acquisition
- Ethical and legal confidence
- Measurements
- Photographs and documents
- Observation notes
- Related references and links
The application is intended to support an evolving collection. Records can begin with only a few known facts and be expanded over time as specimens are researched and understood more fully.
Several parts of Fossil Tracker use controlled reference data to encourage consistency across the collection.
Reference data currently includes:
- Taxonomy
- Geological ages
- Localities
- Preparation types
- Measurement types
These can all be maintained through the Reference Data section of the application.
Fossil Tracker has been designed around a few simple principles.
You do not need a complete scientific identification before adding a specimen.
Partial taxonomy, incomplete provenance and approximate information can all be recorded and refined later.
Record not only conclusions, but also the evidence that supports them.
Images, documents, references and notes are often just as valuable as the identification itself.
Where appropriate, Fossil Tracker distinguishes between factual information and confidence in that information.
For example, a specimen may have an identified provenance while still having only medium confidence in its ethical origin.
Collections evolve.
As specimens are researched, identifications become more precise, measurements become more complete and additional supporting material can be added.
The database is intended to grow alongside your understanding.