Favosites hisingeri Coral Fossil

This picture is of a Favosites hisingeri (Milne-Edwards et Haime, 1851) coral fossil. It existed during the Silurian period. The fossil was found in Lickershamm, Gotland, Sweden. Fossil was on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) on August 2024.

Learn more: https://fossiilid.info/11660?mode=in_baltoscandia

Favosites goldfussi Coral Fossil

This image shows a Favosites goldfussi (Larmarck, 1816) coral fossil. It dates to the Devonian Period and was found at Gerolstein Germany. It was displayed at Muséum National D'Historie Naturelle Jardin Des Plantes Paléontologie et Anatomie Comparée, Paris, France.  Image taken August 2009.

Foerstephyllum Coral Fossil

A reader recently sent me some images of a colonial coral they found while digging in their yard. It is a Foerstephyllum (Bassler, 1941) coral fossil. It dates to the Ordovician Period and was found in Jefferson County, Kentucky USA.

I have found similar corals in this same area. See these postings:

https://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2010/02/tale-of-two-corals.html

https://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2008/12/colonial-coral-foerstephyllum-vacuum.html

Favosites cristatus Coral Fossil

This coral fossil was found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana USA. It appears to be a Favosites cristatus Davis.The fossil dates to the Middle Silurian Period (Wenlockian).


Thanks to Alan for letting me image it.

Isastraea explanata Coral Fossil

This image shows an Isastraea explanata (Goldfuss) coral fossil. It was found in the Jurassic Period Upper Corallian Beds Steeple Ashton Wilts England. Image taken August 2016. The fossil was on display at the British Natural History Museum.

Kodonophyllum truncatum Coral Fossil

The picture is of a colonial coral fossil Kodonophyllum truncatum (Linné) on display at the British Natural History Museum in London. These creatures existed in the Silurian Period. It was found Dudley, West Midlands, England.

Image taken August 2016.

Favosites Coral Fossil

This fossil coral was found in Jefferson County, Kentucky USA. It is thought to be some type of Favosites colonial coral fossil. It dates to the Devonian Period. It is about the size of an American men's basketball.

Thanks to Kenny for the images.

Acervularia truncata coral fossil

Here is a picture of an Acervularia truncata coral fossil at the Museo di Paleontologia at Sapienza University of Rome Italy. It existed in the Silurian Period.

Image taken in June 2014.

Syringopora-sp and Favosites sp colonial coral fossils

Here is a picture of a Syringopora-sp and Favosites sp colonial coral fossils at the Museo di Paleontologia at Sapienza University of Rome Italy. It existed in the Silurian Period. The fossils were found in Sweden.

Similar fossils are found in the Louisville Limestone of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Image taken in June 2014.

Swedish Striatopora sp. coral fossil

Here is a picture of an Striatopora sp. coral fossil at the Museo di Paleontologia at Sapienza University of Rome Italy. It existed in the Silurian Period. The fossil was found in Sweden.

Image taken in June 2014.

Brachyphyllian affinis coral fossil

Here is a picture of a Brachyphyllian affinis coral fossil at the Museo di Paleontologia at Sapienza University of Rome Italy. It existed in the Upper Cretaceous Period. The fossil was found at Monte Grumi, Italy.

Image taken in June 2014.

Myelodactylus Crinoid Attached to Entelophyllum Coral Fossil

This picture shows very small crinoid fossil attached to a larger colonial coral fossil. It was found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky USA.  The crinoid fossil appears to be a Myelodactylus. The colonial coral might be an Entelophyllum rugosum?. They existed in the Silurian Period.

Visit the Falls of the Ohio State Park web site for some example pictures of the Myelodactylus crinoid (scroll down toward the bottom of the page).

Consult Erwin Stumm's 1964 book Silurian and Devonian Corals of the Falls of the Ohio page 32 and plate 22, figures 9-13 (pages 112-113) for more information about the coral fossil.

Thanks to Kenny for the picture of this nice fossil.

Aulopora pygmaea Coral Fossil

Here is a picture of a very small fossil found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky USA.  The fossil appears to be an Aulopora pygmaea. It existed in the Silurian Period. I am use to seeing Aulopora growing on brachiopod fossils but this one appears to be a stand alone colony.

Consult Erwin Stumm's 1964 book Silurian and Devonian Corals of the Falls of the Ohio page 84 and plate 77, figure 7 (pages 168-169).

Thanks to Kenny for the picture of this nice fossil.

Surface Detail of Arachnophyllum mammillaire Coral Fossil

These images are of the surface details of an Arachnophyllum mammillaire (Owen) colonial coral fossil. It was found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky. The fossil dates to the Middle Silurian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for these pictures.

Arachnophyllum Colonial Coral Fossil

These images are of an Arachnophyllum mammillaire (Owen) colonial coral fossil. It was found in the Louisville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky. The fossil dates to the Middle Silurian Period.

Thanks to Kenny for letting me take pictures of it.

Fossil Fireplace

Every so often I visit a local retired geology professor to chat about fossils. He has a unique fireplace in his study that was mortared together with various fossils. Here are few pictures of some of the fossil embedded in the fireplace. All the images were taken with a Motorola Moto X smartphone.

I think the first image might be a model of a charophyte or some sort of Astylospongia fossil. Next is some sort of model of a foraminifera.

The next two images are of colonial coral fossils.

Last is some sort of pelecypod fossil.

Louisville Coral Fossil Exhibit

A new display case at the Falls of the Ohio State Park has been unveiled with a variety of Silurian and Devonian coral fossils from around the Louisville Kentucky area. My cousin Kenny Popp has loaned them to the park for a temporary exhibit. A lot of the specimens are museum grade and took quite a bit of time to prepare for display.

The fossil shown in the picture below (gray one on the left) took weeks to extract using gallons and gallons of acid.

If you are in the Louisville Kentucky area consider visiting the Falls of the Ohio State Park and seeing this display.

Syringopora monroenae? Coral

This larger colonial coral fossil specimen was found in Hardin County, Kentucky. It is Mississippian in age and might be from the Salem Limestone. It appears to match the characteristics of a Syringopora monroenae coral fossil.

Thanks to Kenny for loaning me the fossil to photograph.

The last two pictures are from the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources Thirtieth Annual Report, W.S. Blatchely State Geologist, 1905. They are Figures 1 and 2 in Plate X on pages 1402-1403. Listed as a specimen in the Indiana University collection.

Plate X Figure 1 page 1403

Plate X Figure 2 page 1403

Heliophyllum ingens Coral

I believe this fossil would be classified as a colonial coral or maybe a cluster of horn corals attached together. The Stumm book on Devonian and Silurian Corals of the Falls of the Ohio (1964) identifies it as a Billingsastraea ingens.  The Falls of the Ohio State Park web site lists as a Heliophyllum ingens (LINK). It was found in the Middle Devonian Boyle Limestone of Nelson County, Kentucky. The fossil can be yours: eBay LINK

Favosites pirum Coral

 The colonial coral fossil Favosites pirum? found in the Jeffersonville Limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky.  This almost spherical colony existed in the Middle Devonian Period.  It has taken some damage as the following photos will attest to.

Thanks to Alan for help with the identification.