conodont

This term is used exclusively within the specialized fields of paleontology and stratigraphy. It refers to the microscopic, tooth-like fossils that are critical for biostratigraphy, allowing scientists to date rock layers with high precision due to the rapid evolution of these organisms.

Because conodonts are identified primarily by these phosphatic elements rather than complete skeletons, the term often refers interchangeably to the extinct animal itself and the individual fossilized element found in the sediment.