Description
Location: Martin Formation, Verde Valley, Arizona, United States
Weight: 1.5 Ounces
Dimensions: 1.9 Inches Long, 1.7 Inches Wide, 1.7 Inches Thick
Devonian Age 380 Million Years Old
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Thamnopora SP Fossil Coral
Corals made a comeback during the Devonian period, about 410 million years ago, forming the first large reef systems in Earth’s history. These reefs were built primarily by stromatoporoids (reef-forming sponges), tabulate corals (shaped into mounds, branches, and organ-like forms), rugose corals (horn-shaped), and the early ancestors of modern coralline algae (encrusting, colorful algae on rocks).
Towards the end of the Devonian, scleractinian, or “stony,” corals—which now dominate modern coral reefs—appeared for the first time. However, around 350 million years ago, corals vanished from the fossil record. While the exact cause is still unknown, research suggests that rapid sea-level fluctuations and a sharp decline in atmospheric carbon dioxide were likely responsible.
