Teredo Petrified Wood is wood that was bored by Teredo shipworms prior to the fossilization process, resulting in characteristic circular borings filled with sediment or minerals. Collectors prize these specimens for the intricate patterns created by the fossilized worm tunnels within the agatized wood matrix.
Is this teredo petrified wood?
5-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 teredo petrified wood with a known reference. Teredo Petrified Wood sits at Mohs 6.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Name the organismDecide what left the fossil before worrying about the rock. Organism: Wood bored by shipworms (family Teredinidae).
- 3Check the preservationPreservation: Petrified wood. That controls the weight, the hardness and how the piece takes a polish.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: waxy.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, tan, gray, black, white.
Often confused with
Teredo Petrified Wood vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside teredo petrified wood
Minerals reported to co-occur with teredo petrified wood. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 2.6-2.7 g/cm³
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- sedimentary deposits
- Organism
- Wood bored by shipworms (family Teredinidae)
- Preservation
- Petrified wood
Where rockhounds find teredo petrified wood
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Washington, USA
- Oregon, USA
- New Zealand
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary deposits. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in North Dakota. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify teredo petrified wood?+
Where is teredo petrified wood found?+
Can I find teredo petrified wood in the United States?+
What rocks look like teredo petrified wood?+
What minerals are found with teredo petrified wood?+
What kind of rock does teredo petrified wood form in?+
What is teredo petrified wood used for?+
Find teredo petrified wood on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
