sedimentary
Favosites (Honeycomb Coral Fossil)
Favosites (Genus of extinct tabulate coral)
Hardness: 3 (if calcite) to 7 (if silicified); Color: Tan, brown, or grey; Luster: Dull to earthy; Structure: Polygonal or hexagonal closely packed tubes (corallites) resembling a honeycomb; Composition: Calcium carbonate or Silica.
- Hardness
- 3 (if calcite) to 7 (if silicified)
- Color
- Tan, brown, or grey
- Luster
- Dull to earthy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3 (if calcite) to 7 (if silicified); Color: Tan, brown, or grey; Luster: Dull to earthy; Structure: Polygonal or hexagonal closely packed tubes (corallites) resembling a honeycomb; Composition: Calcium carbonate or Silica.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the fossilization of marine colonial corals that lived in warm, shallow sunlit seas. These specimens typically date from the Ordovician period to the Permian period (approx. 488 to 251 million years ago).
Uses & applications
Used primarily as decorative items, educational specimens in paleontology, and highly valued by fossil collectors. In some regions where abundant, they may be found within limestone used for building stone.
Geological facts
Favosites is known as the 'honeycomb coral' because the individual animals (polyps) lived in small hexagonal cells. Unlike modern corals, they featured 'mural pores' which were small holes connecting the tubes, allowing the colony to share nutrients.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by looking for a distinct honeycomb pattern on the surface of rocks, especially in limestone outcroppings. Common in the Great Lakes region of North America and ancient reef systems globally. Collectors should look for the characteristic 'points' or open tubes in cross-sections.
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