fossil
Fossil Coral (Favosites)
Favosites sp. (Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa)
Hardness: 3 (calcite matrix); Color: Tan, beige, or light grey; Luster: Dull/earthy; Structure: Distinctive honeycomb/grid-like pattern formed by individual coral tubes (corallites).
- Hardness
- 3 (calcite matrix)
- Color
- Tan, beige, or light grey
- Luster
- Dull/earthy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3 (calcite matrix); Color: Tan, beige, or light grey; Luster: Dull/earthy; Structure: Distinctive honeycomb/grid-like pattern formed by individual coral tubes (corallites).
Formation & geological history
Formed in warm, shallow marine environments primarily during the Silurian to Devonian periods (approx. 430 to 360 million years ago) through the permineralization of ancient coral reefs by calcium carbonate.
Uses & applications
Primarily used for educational study, geological collecting, and occasionally as decorative items or paperweights when polished.
Geological facts
Favosites is commonly known as 'honeycomb coral' due to the shape of the chambered cells. They were colonial coral and did not have the septa (radiating lines) found in modern corals.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by looking for sedimentary rocks (limestone/shale) with a mesh or grid-like impression. Common in the Great Lakes region of North America and ancient reef beds in Europe and Asia.
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