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Corals
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(towards our museum)
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Corals are very strange marine animals. Most of the Corals alive today have survived since the Cambrian or even the Pre-Cambrian.
Corals take very different shapes and colors. Corals are not vegetarian; if another Coral invades or grows big enough to touch the other, they will try to eat each other.
Favosites
UPPER CAMBRIAN TO UPPER PERMIAN. 500 - 250 MYA.
Favosites are recognised by their unique shallow shells.
One very strange thing about Favosites is they died out by the Mass Extinction at the end of the Permian.
But it was not wiped out as a result of the Mass Extinction, as the number of Favosites discovered decreased towards the Permian; therefore, they died out because their population decreased.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has shallow shells, some squashing others, forms random shell patterns and the lip of each shell is different.
One very strange thing about Favosites is they died out by the Mass Extinction at the end of the Permian.
But it was not wiped out as a result of the Mass Extinction, as the number of Favosites discovered decreased towards the Permian; therefore, they died out because their population decreased.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has shallow shells, some squashing others, forms random shell patterns and the lip of each shell is different.
Flabellum
LOWER TERTIARY TO UPPER TERTIARY. 55 - 0 MYA.
Flabellum are recognised by their unique outward radiating tubes.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It is similar to the earlier Rugose coral that became extinct 200 million years earlier. It is cone shaped with tubes which radiate outward.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It is similar to the earlier Rugose coral that became extinct 200 million years earlier. It is cone shaped with tubes which radiate outward.
Halysites
UPPER CAMBRIAN TO UPPER SILURUAN. 500 - 410 MYA.
Halysites are recognised by their unique network of tubes that makes a sheet.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has a very interesting pattern, each tube is connected by two other tubes forming a long chain of tubes.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has a very interesting pattern, each tube is connected by two other tubes forming a long chain of tubes.
Heliolites
MIDDLE SILURIAN TO MIDDLE DEVONIAN. 420 - 380 MYA.
Heliolites are recognised by their unique random shape.
The image shows a section of a circular Heliolite, this is a strange form of Heliolite.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It can be found in many shapes, similar to the white coral found washed up around the Mediterranean and Oceania; it has
shallow shells spread across the
coral.
The image shows a section of a circular Heliolite, this is a strange form of Heliolite.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It can be found in many shapes, similar to the white coral found washed up around the Mediterranean and Oceania; it has
shallow shells spread across the
coral.
Lithostrotion
LOWER MISSISSIPPIAN TO LOWER PENNSYLVANIAN.
350 - 320 MYA.
Lithostrotion are recognised by their unique deep tube shells.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
Similar to Favosites, however it is normally larger and rarer. It is made of tubes which form bigger tubes and are widely spaced apart.
Image with permission of www.mineraquarry.org.uk
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
Similar to Favosites, however it is normally larger and rarer. It is made of tubes which form bigger tubes and are widely spaced apart.
Image with permission of www.mineraquarry.org.uk
Montlivaltia
MIDDLE TRIASSIC TO UPPER TRIASSIC. 240 - 70 MYA.
Montlivaltia are recognised by their unique cone shape shell.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It is similar to a Rugose coral but only lived in the Triassic, 10 million years after the Rugose became extinct.
It has sectioned tubes that form a cone shape.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It is similar to a Rugose coral but only lived in the Triassic, 10 million years after the Rugose became extinct.
It has sectioned tubes that form a cone shape.
Rugose
UPPER CAMBRIAN TO UPPER PERMIAN. 500-250 MYA.
Rugose are recognised by their unique conical shell.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has a conical shaped shell and is made of tightly compressed tubes, it has an interesting
mouth, sometimes there are remains of
tentacles.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has a conical shaped shell and is made of tightly compressed tubes, it has an interesting
mouth, sometimes there are remains of
tentacles.
Syringopora
LOWER SILUARIAN TO MISSISSIPPIAN. 440 - 310 MYA.
Syringopora are recognised by their unique loose tube shape coral shell.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has loose sectioned tubes made of smaller tubes; sometimes a clam-like mouth is found on the edge.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
It has loose sectioned tubes made of smaller tubes; sometimes a clam-like mouth is found on the edge.
Thamnasteria
MIDDLE TRIASSIC TO UPPER TERTIARY. 240 - 0 MYA.
Thamnasteria are recognised by their unique crater-like, shallow shells.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
They comprise inside-out cones with shells made of thin sheets radiating outward.
Corals never stop growing so their size varies enormously.
They comprise inside-out cones with shells made of thin sheets radiating outward.
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Contact us: fossilidentification@gmail.com
Daniel Hermann |
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