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 are typically brown, grey, or black with a dull to earthy luster.

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Physical properties

Hardness varies from 3 to 5 on the Mohs scale depending on mineral replacement. Colors are typically brown, grey, or black with a dull to earthy luster.

Formation & geological history

Formed through the rapid burial and fossilization of organic waste by minerals like calcium phosphate and silica over millions of years.

Uses & applications

Valued by paleontologists for studying ancient diets and ecosystems, and collected as unique geological specimens.

Geological facts

Coprolites provide direct evidence of ancient predator-prey relationships and can sometimes preserve undigested bone fragments or scales.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its characteristic pellet or tubular shapes and often found in sedimentary rock layers rich in vertebrate fossils worldwide.

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