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Aubrey Miller posted a new specimen. 4 years, 8 months ago
4 years, 8 months ago4 years, 8 months agoAubrey Miller has contributed specimen mFeM 58623 to myFOSSIL!
Aubrey Miller posted a new specimen. 4 years, 8 months ago
Aubrey Miller has contributed specimen mFeM 58623 to myFOSSIL!
Hi, @aubrey-miller – it is possible that it is a fossil coral. It’s difficult to tell without really looking closely at the sample. I don’t know much about more recent corals but your classification looks correct – if that’s what this specimen is. I’ll tag in a few local experts who may have been out collecting a bit more than I have in the area – @mackenzie-smith @michael-ziegler
If you want to use Macrostrat you can get a better idea of the geologic context of the area but I think a lot of the area is a hodge podge of sediment. https://macrostrat.org/map/#/z=9.1/x=-82.5885/y=27.9358/bedrock/lines/
@aubrey-miller @jbauer I think it’s coral too but I don’t think it’s Acropora. I’ve worked with modern Acropora from the Maldives and what really defines that genus are large, distinct corallites (calcified tubes where the polyp is) which I do not see evidence of in this specimen. While this genus is notorious for taking on different growth forms depending on its environment I believe the corallite part is constant.
I’d agree with the fossil coral @mackenzie-smith and @jbauer mentioned. I’m afraid I won’t be able to clarify it further. Although, the typical preservation of this agatized coral specimen is interesting. In the second photo features what appear to be some druzy brown/orange crystals. The original coral material has been replaced by silica (provided by ocean water, diatoms, or even clay) and created a pseudomorph. The new material is probably chalcedony, which is a material many stone tools are made of. Many of the deposits in this region are from more recent sediments (Pleistocene/Holocene) but I imagine this coral could possibly be from older deposits from that area like the Hawthorn Group, Arcadia Formation, Tampa Member (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=FLOGMIhat%3B0). All in all, cool find!
As Mackenzie points out it is not Acropora. Florida Geological Survey Bulletin No. 56 describes the fossil corals of the Tampa Formation (latest geology pointed out by Michael Z.). https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000252/00001/pdf. It looks from a distance to be Goniopora. A much closer pic will be needed to identify to species.