Where is Fossilized Worm Tubes in Sandstone found?
Trace fossil (Skolithos ichnofacies) in sandstone
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Open the appFossilized Worm Tubes in Sandstone occurs in specific geological environments. Knowing where to look, and in what kind of rock, is the difference between going home empty-handed and finding a great specimen.
Where to find Fossilized Worm Tubes in Sandstone
Cambrian and Ordovician strata worldwide
Particularly well-preserved and abundant in many Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, such as the Potsdam Sandstone (North America), the Eriboll Sandstone (Scotland), and various units in Scandinavia and Australia.
Coastal plain and shelf deposits
Found in ancient coastal and shallow shelf deposits of various ages, wherever high-energy sandy environments existed and were subsequently preserved.
Collecting tips
- Look for vertical structures. Examine sandstone outcrops for distinct, often cylindrical, vertical or subvertical structures that cut across bedding planes. These are the fossilized worm tubes.
- Identify high-energy sandstone. Skolithos is typically found in well-sorted, often cross-bedded, quartz-rich sandstones, indicative of high-energy depositional environments. Look for these sedimentary features.
- Distinguish from concretions. Ensure the structures are indeed burrows and not diagenetic concretions, which often have more irregular shapes and lack the characteristic cylindrical, vertical orientation of Skolithos.
- Check for density. Skolithos ichnofacies often occur in high densities, sometimes forming 'pipe rock' where the tubes are closely packed.
Quick Check
- Color:
- Matches host sandstone (tan, brown, grey, white)
- Luster:
- Dull to earthy
- Streak:
- White (from quartz, if scratched)
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