Tennessee Coral
Click on pictures to Magnify
I found these corals weathered out from limestone-chert
deposits in
Montgomery County, Tennessee, and they were associated with two
species of Acrocyathus, also known as Lithostrotion and Lithostrotionella.
My limited research suggests this was the middle Mississippian period,
either the Fort Payne Formation or the St. Louis limestone - I am not
sure what the surface formation is there. My only guess has been
Synaptophyllum, but that coral is said to be mostly Devonian. Also,
these seem to be more dendroidal than non-branching, though they sure
do match the photos in the old Invertebrate Index fossils books well.
Please let me know what you think these are ! They are not common,
but there really aren't too many fossils in this deposit anyway, at least
that I have seen, though there are lots of chert concretions. Also, if
you know more about the age and name of this exposure, near Clarksville,
that would be much appreciated as well.
Steve Hill
Go-Back Text
Menu or Thumb
Menu
Home
Page
Photo
Album search engine
search the Photo Album or the Web