Macrofossil

Macrofossils (occasionally spelled "macro-fossil") are preserved organic remains large enough to be visible without a microscope. Most fossils discussed in the article Fossil are macrofossils. The term macrofossil stands in opposition to the term microfossil (a.k.a. "micro-fossil"). Microfossils, by contrast, require substantial magnification for evaluation by fossil-hunters or professional paleontologists. As a result, most fossils observed in the field and most "museum-quality" specimens are macrofossils.