sedimentary

Favosites Fossil (Honeycomb Coral)

Favosites (Order Favositida)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 3-4 (calcite base), Color: Grey, tan, or brown, Luster: Dull/earthy, Structure: Colonial honeycomb pattern of small polygonal cells (corallites) often 1-3mm wide.

Identified June 21, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 3-4 (calcite base), Color: Grey, tan, or brown, Luster: Dull/earthy, Structure: Colonial honeycomb pattern of small polygonal cells (corallites) often 1-3mm wide.

Formation & geological history

Formed in warm, shallow marine seas during the Silurian to Devonian periods (approx. 430 to 360 million years ago) through the permineralization of extinct coral colonies.

Uses & applications

Scientific study, educational collections, decorative display, and lapidary use (sometimes polished as Petoskey-like stones).

Geological facts

Favosites are known as 'honeycomb corals' because of their distinctive hexagonal cell structure. They are index fossils used to date geological strata from the Paleozoic era.

Field identification & locations

Identified by the distinct grid-like or honeycomb pattern on the surface. Commonly found in limestone outcrops and lake shores throughout the Great Lakes region of North America.