Abstract:
In this talk I will review a project that is underway to locate fossil groups using the high quality X-ray data from XMM combined with optical data from the SDSS. Originally, fossil groups were thought to represent the end-state of galaxy evolution in isolated groups but recently it has been suggested that they are merely a phase in cluster evolution. Initial results of an analysis of the dominant galaxies in fossil groups aimed at differentiating between these two alternatives will also be presented.