Rock Identifier
Coprolite (Fossilized feces) — fossil
fossil

Coprolite

Fossilized feces

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness varies from 3 to 5 on the Mohs scale depending on mineral replacement; colors range from brown, grey, to black; luster is dull to waxy; amorphous crystal structure.

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Physical properties

Hardness varies from 3 to 5 on the Mohs scale depending on mineral replacement; colors range from brown, grey, to black; luster is dull to waxy; amorphous crystal structure.

Formation & geological history

Formed through the fossilization of organic waste via permineralization, typically in ancient aquatic or terrestrial sedimentary environments.

Uses & applications

Valued by paleontologists for reconstructing ancient diets, ecosystems, and predator-prey relationships, and collected as a geological curiosity.

Geological facts

Coprolites provide direct evidence of prehistoric diets, frequently containing undigested bone fragments, scales, and teeth.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its distinctive tubular or pellet-like morphology found within sedimentary rock layers, especially in known fossil beds.

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