A silicified conodont is the microscopic, tooth-like fossil of an extinct jawless vertebrate, replaced by silica. Micro-fossil collectors seek them, and a microscope is needed to identify the intricate morphology. Specimens are usually recovered by dissolving the host limestone in weak acid to free the resilient silicified remains.
Is this silicified conodont?
4-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch silicified conodont with a known reference. Silicified Conodont sits at Mohs 7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Name the organismDecide what left the fossil before worrying about the rock. Organism: Conodonts: extinct marine jawless vertebrates (class Conodonta). Age: Cambrian (over 500 million years ago) to the start of the Jurassic (about 200 million years ago).
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: amber, brown, white, translucent.
Often confused with
Silicified Conodont vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside silicified conodont
Minerals reported to co-occur with silicified conodont. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 2.65 g/cm³
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- sedimentary limestone or shale
- Organism
- Conodonts: extinct marine jawless vertebrates (class Conodonta)
- Age
- Cambrian (over 500 million years ago) to the start of the Jurassic (about 200 million years ago)
Where rockhounds find silicified conodont
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- New York (USA)
- Indiana (USA)
- Germany
- Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary limestone or shale. If you start seeing calcite, dolomite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Missouri. Start trip planning there.
More silicified conodont photos
Common questions
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Find silicified conodont on the map
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