Ordovician Ordovician CoralsCorals

Nora JenningsNora Jennings

History of coralHistory of coral Corals are also known as Cnidarian phylum and Corals are also known as Cnidarian phylum and

are found exclusively in aquatic environmentsare found exclusively in aquatic environments Members of that phylum are radially or biradially Members of that phylum are radially or biradially

symmetricsymmetric Corals are one of many life forms that thrived in Corals are one of many life forms that thrived in

the shallow sea that covered the Midwest United the shallow sea that covered the Midwest United States during the Ordovician period around 300 States during the Ordovician period around 300 million years agomillion years ago

Corals only live in shallow marine environments Corals only live in shallow marine environments because they need clear, constantly moving water because they need clear, constantly moving water and sunlight. They also need the warm water of and sunlight. They also need the warm water of tropic conditions to aid in the precipitation of tropic conditions to aid in the precipitation of their calcium carbonate skeletonstheir calcium carbonate skeletons

Grewingkia CanadensisGrewingkia Canadensis Grewingkia canadensis is a Grewingkia canadensis is a

rugosan coral common to rugosan coral common to the deepest part of the the deepest part of the shallow shelf environments shallow shelf environments of Late Ordovician seasof Late Ordovician seas

They are nicknamed “horn They are nicknamed “horn coral” for their unique shapecoral” for their unique shape

They are native to Cincinnati They are native to Cincinnati and are solitaryand are solitary

They are the most abundant They are the most abundant corals of the Paleozoic eracorals of the Paleozoic era

Their vertical septa is the Their vertical septa is the most distinguishing internal most distinguishing internal feature and it radiates out feature and it radiates out from a central pillar called from a central pillar called the columellathe columella

Favistina (Favistella) Favistina (Favistella) StellataStellata

Favistina stellata belong to Favistina stellata belong to the Anthozoa class, rugosa the Anthozoa class, rugosa subclass and stauriida subclass and stauriida orderorder

The holes are called The holes are called corralites in which coral corralites in which coral animals called polyps lived animals called polyps lived when the coral was alivewhen the coral was alive

These corals often formed These corals often formed branching masses branching masses alongside rugose corals alongside rugose corals and mainly lived in the and mainly lived in the limestone and calcareous limestone and calcareous sedimentary rocksedimentary rock

They became extinct by They became extinct by the end of the Permian erathe end of the Permian era

ResourcesResources

http://members.wri.com/jeffb/fossils/http://members.wri.com/jeffb/fossils/cnidaria.shtmlcnidaria.shtml

http://wooster.edu/geology/corals.hthttp://wooster.edu/geology/corals.htmlml

http://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossils/tabuhttp://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossils/tabulatemound3.htmlatemound3.htm

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coralen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral