A fossilized or petrified shell, particularly of the extinct oyster genus Gryphaea, preserved in stone.
From 'gryphaea' (the curved oyster genus) plus the -ite suffix used in mineralogy and paleontology to denote fossilized or mineral forms of organic material.
When gryphaea oyster shells turn to stone over millions of years, they become 'gryphites'—rocks that look like frozen ancient oysters, perfectly preserved in their twisted shapes.
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