fossil
Fossilized Tabulate Coral in Sandstone/Limestone
Favosites (Order: Tabulata)
Honeycomb-like structure (corallites), brown to tan color, earthy luster, Mohs hardness of 3-4 (if calcified) or higher (if silicified), granular matrix.
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Physical properties
Honeycomb-like structure (corallites), brown to tan color, earthy luster, Mohs hardness of 3-4 (if calcified) or higher (if silicified), granular matrix.
Formation & geological history
Formed in warm, shallow marine environments primarily during the Silurian and Devonian periods (approx. 400 million years ago) through the accumulation of colonial reef-building organisms.
Uses & applications
Educational study, paleontological collecting, and decorative indoor/garden pieces.
Geological facts
Favosites are commonly called 'honeycomb corals' because of the wall-to-wall arrangement of their corallites; they are extinct colonial corals that lacked the septa (internal ridges) found in modern corals.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by looking for the distinct 'honeycomb' grid pattern on the rock surface; common in the Great Lakes region (USA/Canada) and Ohio River Valley.
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