FOSSILS SPECIMEN: CORAL

Fossils are defined as any evidence of prehistoric life. There are two types of fossils: Body Fossils include remains of skeletal bones, shell, carapace, test and teeth. Trace Fossils are clues the organism existed such as foot prints, tracks, burrows and coprolites (fossil dung).

The phylum Cnidaria consist of coral, sea jellies, sea anenomes, sea pens, and fresh water hydras. Although there are fossils of all these groups, coral are the most common cnidarians preserved in the fossil record. To see my modern coral specimen click here. To see my model and toy cnidarians click here.

Domain: Eukary – Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Cnidaria

(coral)

Ediacaran (Upper Precambrian) to Holocene

Roguse (horn coral)

Paleozoic

North America

Horn Coral Lyphophyllidum

Pennsylvanian

(Upper Carboniferous)

Mineral Wells Fossil Park, Palo Pinto County, Texas

Coral Rugosa (Horn Coral)

[bent growth]

Paleozoic

North America

Coral Rugosa (Horn Coral) section

Paleozoic

North America

Haysites coral (colonial)

Paleozoic

North America

Coral Deap Sea (colonial)

Paleozic

North America

Colonial Coral

Cenozoic

North America