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DPS Ammonite

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Several days ago I ventured to a Devonian desert locality near Superior, Arizona. I found the largest fossilized coral colony that I have ever found: 2 ft across. A giant Iowaphyllum nisbeti coral was covered over it’s entire length with several inches of a stromatoporoid sponge. I should have taken a photo, but it was not very photogenic; it looked like a white ledge in cross section.

 

First photo is a piece of light colored Iowaphyllum nisbeti coral covered with a medium gray calcitic stromatoporoid coral that is about 8 inches across. The top of the coral is pointed up.  

F6DB04C8-21D1-41A0-BFC4-7BC77CB78EDE.jpeg

 

The second photo shows a detail of the stromatoporoid with horizontal layers and faint vertical pillars
D88FBF4E-2F73-40C1-AE77-9451ADF23307.jpeg

 

Nearby I found a partly silicified stromatoporoid 5 inches across that may be the same as the one mentioned above. This is probably the best hand sample of a stromatoporoid that I have found since the vertical pillars are so prominent. Only about 20% of the pillars are easily visible. Pillars differentiate stromatoporoid sponges from stromatolites which show only horizontal (to the growing direction) layers.

801B4A15-675C-4244-9245-DC97FFFE4A58.jpeg.67f71a14dc03607dc1ae617a24012e28.jpeg

 

See up close section of the stromatoporoid in the last photo.

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See an Iowaphyllum nisbeti  in Collections:

 

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/collections-database/cnidarians/corals/iowaphyllum-nisbeti-oliver-1978-r1966/

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Edited by DPS Ammonite
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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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Nice. Like seeing things like this so I don't blow them off if I find them. Haven't been to that part of AZ

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