index fossil
noun
: a fossil usually with a narrow time range and wide spatial distribution that is used in the identification of related geologic formations
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Pappas reports that Agnostus is a great index fossil.
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Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 19 Sep. 2017
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Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 19 Sep. 2017
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“Index fossil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/index%20fossil. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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