Kimberly1979 Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Hi! I was searching for arrowheads in my field in Emanuel county this past week and picked up a small stone that looked odd. I posted it in my FB group called Georgia Arrowheads and Artifacts and most agreed with me that it appears to be a small fossilized piece of coral. Any information would be helpful! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Looks like a partial Astraeospongia fossil sponge. 1 Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Yup. Nice find! Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly1979 Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Is this a pretty common fossil found in Southeast Georgia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas.Dodson Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 I wouldn't call it a common find because most fossils in your area of Georgia come from bedrock of Cenezoic age (much more recent than when Astraeospongia existed). It's probably a relic or traveled a long way from the original site of deposition. If you have any interest in learning more about Georgia's fossils Thomas Thurman runs a great blog on Georgia Paleontology (https://www.georgiasfossils.com/) There are some interesting Eocene and Oligocene fossil deposits in your area, especially to the north between Sandersville and Midville. When I did stream work in Georgia such outcrops were common and sometimes very nice specimens would be found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly1979 Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Wow, thanks for the info! I will surely look Thomas Thurmon up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Astraeospongia is a Silurian & Devonian hexactinellid sponge. Mickymig has I think mistaken the radiating structures of the fossil for sponge spicules. The fossil is actually a scleractinian coral, which can sometimes (though not commonly) be found in the silicified residuum from the Eocene bedrock, such as the McBean Formation, in the area. You might keep an eye out for sand dollars (Periarchus) and large oysters (Crassostrea) which can also occur. The nearest Silurian and Devonian rocks are found far to north, on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and eastern Tennessee. No waterways exist that could carry material over the mountains and south as far as east-central Georgia. Also the Silurian formations are thin and very poorly exposed, and the Devonian are mostly clastics (shale and sandstone) that are not known to carry sponge fossils. Don 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pemphix Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 13 minutes ago, FossilDAWG said: The fossil is actually a scleractinian coral, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly1979 Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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