Palaeozoic 'conodont pearls' and other phosphatic micro-spherules
Sub-millimetre-sized phosphatic spherules are often found in acetic acid-insoluble residues produced for microfossil extraction. As they are typically associated with conodont elements and have a similar chemical composition, they are informally known as 'conodont pearls'. Still, the origin of these micro-spherules has been controversial, and authors have disagreed regarding their mode of formatio
