{"product_id":"3-9-thamnopora-sp-coral-fossil-coral-reef-devonian-age-verde-valley-arizona-06jzz732","title":"3.9\" Thamnopora SP Coral Fossil Coral Reef Devonian Age Verde Valley, Arizona","description":"\u003cp\u003eLocation: Martin Formation, Verde Valley, Arizona, United States\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight: 8.5 Ounces  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDimensions: 3.9 Inches Long, 3.1 Inches Wide, 2 Inches Thick \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevonian Age 380 Million Years Old\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #38761d;\"\u003eThe item pictured is the one you will receive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #bb6e18;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThamnopora SP Fossil Coral\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"643\" data-start=\"106\"\u003eAround 410 million years ago, during the Devonian period, \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(190, 99, 8);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ecorals \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ere-emerged and began building the first large reef systems. These early reefs were bustling underwater communities, primarily formed by stromatoporoids (reef-building sponges that acted as structural pillars), tabulate corals (creating mounds, branches, and organ-like shapes), rugose corals (horn-shaped corals adding vertical complexity), and the ancestors of modern coralline algae (encrusting, colorful algae that helped stabilize the reefs).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"848\" data-start=\"645\"\u003eBy the end of the Devonian, scleractinian, or “stony,” corals appeared for the first time. These corals would eventually dominate modern reefs, thanks to their hard calcium carbonate skeletons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1143\" data-start=\"850\"\u003eHowever, around 350 million years ago, corals vanished from the fossil record. The exact cause is still debated, but evidence points to rapid sea-level changes and a sudden drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which likely disrupted reef ecosystems and led to their disappearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1250\/0441\/files\/Coral_reef_large.png?v=1486961583\" alt=\"\" width=\"613\" height=\"424\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e","brand":"The Crystal Miner 2025","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52403149209880,"sku":"06JZZ732","price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1250\/0441\/files\/5U8A8500_7233a517-a8d9-4a79-8cf4-2bcbe5fa5a80.jpg?v=1784085142","url":"https:\/\/www.fossilageminerals.com\/products\/3-9-thamnopora-sp-coral-fossil-coral-reef-devonian-age-verde-valley-arizona-06jzz732","provider":"Fossil Age Minerals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}