<p>If it is a predator's coprolite you should expect to see bone fragments. Coprolites from herbivores? I would expect them to be pretty rare as there is almost nothing likely to fossilize.
As for meteorites, they come in many forms: stones, irons, palasites, chondrites. The candidates need a good description. A weathered heat ablation surface is the most obvious characteristic to look for. In all cases the rock identification is best achieved with a polarizing microscope, unless it is something very obvious like an iron meteorite. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T13:07:40.010Z
2015-10-13T13:07:40.010Z
Gordon Stanger
<p>I have a coprolite that is 8" by 5" and weighs 8 lbs. The shape is similar to a lumpy brain, the colors below outer crust are deep red and the crust is pastel green and grey. It has a strong density and can't be chipped with a hammer. It came from the Grand Canyon.</p>

<p>Here are some pics:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/TEzhD.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/TEzhD.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/3NVKp.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/3NVKp.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2Qkvh.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2Qkvh.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/B9y3D.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/B9y3D.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-12T11:29:36.530Z
Maybe chemically? But I can't access this: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41762787?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Jan Doggen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T07:39:09.327Z
BTW This may help as well http://meta.earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/124/a-guide-for-asking-identify-this-rock-questions
Jan Doggen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T08:02:07.037Z
I also need help to narrow down 3 meteorite candidates, all 3 have every charistic of a meteorite. I need verification of a suspected  raw orange vietnam opal and proposed petrified wood specimen.Thanks I will link them all soon to this forum.
user5434678
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T08:14:23.667Z
BTW There is also https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Unidentified_rocks_and_minerals
Jan Doggen
<rocks><paleontology><fossils>
How to identify a predator's coprolite from an herbivore's?
user5434678
# How to identify a predator's coprolite from an herbivore's?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-11)

I have a coprolite that is 8" by 5" and weighs 8 lbs. The shape is similar to a lumpy brain, the colors below outer crust are deep red and the crust is pastel green and grey. It has a strong density and can't be chipped with a hammer. It came from the Grand Canyon.

Here are some pics:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/TEzhD.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/TEzhD.jpg)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/3NVKp.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/3NVKp.jpg)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/2Qkvh.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/2Qkvh.jpg)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/B9y3D.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/B9y3D.jpg)

**Tags:** rocks, paleontology, fossils

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Maybe chemically? But I can't access this: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41762787?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents  
> **username_1**: BTW This may help as well http://meta.earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/124/a-guide-for-asking-identify-this-rock-questions  
> **username_0**: I also need help to narrow down 3 meteorite candidates, all 3 have every charistic of a meteorite. I need verification of a suspected  raw orange vietnam opal and proposed petrified wood specimen.Thanks I will link them all soon to this forum.  
> **username_1**: BTW There is also https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Unidentified_rocks_and_minerals  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-13. Score: 3

If it is a predator's coprolite you should expect to see bone fragments. Coprolites from herbivores? I would expect them to be pretty rare as there is almost nothing likely to fossilize.
As for meteorites, they come in many forms: stones, irons, palasites, chondrites. The candidates need a good description. A weathered heat ablation surface is the most obvious characteristic to look for. In all cases the rock identification is best achieved with a polarizing microscope, unless it is something very obvious like an iron meteorite.


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