Syringopora perelegans Coral Fossil

Louisville Kentucky, USA is known for is wide array of Paleozoic coral fossils. The city is built upon thick limestone layers of ancient coral reefs that are exposed either naturally or during construction projects. This coral fossil appears to be a Syringopora perelegans named by Billings in 1858. It was found in the Middle Devonian aged limestone of Jefferson County, Kentucky.

Thanks to Kenny for letting me photograph this fossil.

Life on a Brachiopod

This specimen is an interesting example of biodiversity layer upon layer. The top layer consists for at least 5 crinoid holdfast probably belonging to the Eucalyptocrinus. See following magnified images for more detail. These holdfasts attached to an encrusting bryozoan that could be either Lichenalia or Sagenella. The bryozoan is covering an Eospirifer brachiopod.

Creatures lived in the Middle Silurian Period (425-419 million years ago). Fossil found in the Waldron Shale of Clark County, Indiana, USA.

Let Me Play Among the Constellaria...

Today's fossil is an easy to identify Ordovician bryozoan fossil that looks like a star. It is called the Constellaria sp. This fossil was found in the Lexington Limestone of Franklin County, Kentucky, USA.

The next image is of a magnified star shape. It is nice in you can see the individual pores (zooecia). The Cincinnati Fossils book edited by R.A. Davis (Cincinnati Museum Center,1998) lists two species of this bryozoan that are found: Constellaria florida and C. polystomella.

My blog title refers to the Frank Sinatra song Fly Me to the Moon "and let me play among the stars".