Possible coral with trilobite?

[StephimentaryRocks]

Hi there! 

 

I recently purchased an awesome Flexicalymene trilobite. After unwrapping it, there was a bonus surprise fossil! I didn't think too much of it prior to buying, and just thought it was a matrix blob from the seller's photo. But I'm pleasantly surprised! 

 

My first thought was that it was a piece of coral or some type of ocean plant. The info card that came with the trilobite states that it was found in Mt Orab, Ohio, USA in the Arnheim formation.

 

Wondering if any of you cool cats would be able to identify what it is? I'm just curious and interested in learning more

[Thomas.Dodson]

Looks like a bryozoan to me. I try not to take a stab at bryozoan identification without bryozoans from the formation being described. In this case the Arnheim Formation (or Warren Beds originally) were also called the Homotrypa bassleri beds because of their presence. Looks similar to me but take that with a grain of salt as I'm pretty inexperienced in bryozoan identification.

http://www.ordovicianatlas.org/atlas/bryozoa/stenolaemata/trepostomatida/mesotrypidae/homotrypa/homotrypa-bassleri/

[Rockwood]

Agreed. The preparation of the trilobite left it a little abraded looking however. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

It seems to have monticules in parallel ridges around the zooarium, though these have been worn down. 

I would suggest that Parvohallopora ramosa is thus a possibility. 

[FossilNerd]

2 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

It seems to have monticules in parallel ridges around the zooarium, though these have been worn down. 

I would suggest that Parvohallopora ramosa is thus a possibility. 

I agree. It is a little worn, or possible abraded from prep as @Rockwood suggests, but Parvohallopora ramosa was my first thought.