sedimentary

Fossilized Tabulate Coral (Honeycomb Coral)

Favosites (Order: Tabulata)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 3-4 (calcite based), Color: Gray to dull green, Luster: Dull/Earthy, Structure: Characterized by small closely packed honeycomb-like tubes (corallites) with transverse partitions.

Identified June 14, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 3-4 (calcite based), Color: Gray to dull green, Luster: Dull/Earthy, Structure: Characterized by small closely packed honeycomb-like tubes (corallites) with transverse partitions.

Formation & geological history

Formed during the Silurian and Devonian periods (approx. 400 million years ago) in warm, shallow marine environments. The coral was buried in sediment and replaced by minerals over time.

Uses & applications

Primarily used as educational specimens, indicators for geological mapping, and as aesthetic items for amateur fossil collectors.

Geological facts

Favosites are often called Honeycomb Corals due to the hexagonal shape of the individual corallites. They were major reef-builders before the Great Permian Extinction.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by looking for the distinct 'honeycomb' grid pattern on the specimen surface. Commonly found in limestone beds in the Great Lakes region of the US (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana).