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Apatite crystal in hard tissue of conodont fossils

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Abstract

The present study was aimed at examining the nature of apatite crystal in the tooth apparatus of a conodont fossil using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser Raman microprobe spectrometry and electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA). The hard tissue of the condont consisted of 2 layers and the organization varied with the size of the crystal. Higher magnification showed that the crystals were observed in the lattice of (100) and the central dark lines were not present. Ca, P, and F were detected in the crystal using EPMA. Our results indicate that the apatite crystal in conodont fossils is not hydroxyapatite but fluorapatite.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, Kochi Gakuen College, Kochi, Japan

    Hiroyuki Mishima

  2. Division of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Sakado, Saitama, Japan

    Mituo Kakei

  3. The Yokogurayama Natural Forest Museum, Kochi, Japan

    Toshio Yasui

  4. Applied Life Science Course, Kochi Gakuen College, Kochi, Japan

    Saori Miyamoto

  5. Department of Ultrastructural Science, Oral Health Science Center, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan

    Yasuo Miake & Takaaki Yanagisawa

Authors
  1. Hiroyuki Mishima
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  2. Mituo Kakei
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  3. Toshio Yasui
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  4. Saori Miyamoto
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  5. Yasuo Miake
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  6. Takaaki Yanagisawa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroyuki Mishima.

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Mishima, H., Kakei, M., Yasui, T. et al. Apatite crystal in hard tissue of conodont fossils. Front. Mater. Sci. China 2, 179–181 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-008-0030-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-008-0030-8

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