Fluorine content of microsaur teeth from the carboniferous rocks of Joggins, Nova Scotia.

Because the Carboniferous deposits at Joggins, Nova Scotia, contain the earliest fauna of terrestrial vertebrates, the extremely well-preserved teeth of these ancient animals are of special interest. The " mineral" composition of teeth from the Joggins microsaur Hylerpeton dawsoni is crystallochemically identical with francolite, a carbonate fluorapatite. The fluorine content of the fossilized dentin is 3.1 percent, which is much higher than any previoulsly recorded for fossil teeth.