Fossil Coral or Bryzoan identification Tampa Bay FL

[Gregcohen]

I found this water filled agate geode/vug in an area known for 22-26 million year old coral and shell fossils.  I acid etched it from a chunk of limestone.  It has unique patterns I have not seen before.  It might not be a coral fossil, but that is my best guess.  It could be a Bryzoan which have also been found in the area.

 

It's 1.5 inches long.

 

I'm hoping the detailed patterns and side structure can help one of your experts figure out what I found.  The outer form also makes me think of coral, but brozoans would also fit.

[Gregcohen]

Adding a close ups

[Gregcohen]

Adding another close up

[MikeR]

Maybe the coral Porites?  I'll have to look references tomorrow to see if that genus has been reported from the Tampa.

[Gregcohen]

I've been digging and I was looking at brain corals like Diploria Clivosa or another Diploria. 

Porites on Google search looked like round coralites.  These are short random patterned lines with straighter lines on the side.  I did not see them in "NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN CORALS FROM THE TAMPA FORMATION OF FLORIDA " I reference normally for this area.

[MikeR]

You can always send the pictures to Roger.

[Gregcohen]

I thought about sending it to him, but if it was an easy one I would not need to bother him.  Plus he is really good at shells, but not as interested in corals.  But he has been getting more interested since a recent paper he's co-writing. 

 

So I thought I'd give The Fossil Forum a try first.  Plus multiple searches myself around the internet.

[oyo]

I don't think that it is a coral. 

[Gregcohen]

Any idea what else it might be? 

 

I was looking at types of scales and skin, but they seem to always have consistent patterns. 

 

Thought about bryzoans but most look like septa radial patterns.

 

Brain coral like Diploria was a possible but would need a microscope to look between the patterns for septa to confirm.  Which my  30X zoom can not see.

 

 

[oyo]

4 hours ago, Gregcohen said:

Any idea what else it might be? 

Not really.

4 hours ago, Gregcohen said:

 

Brain coral like Diploria was a possible but would need a microscope to look between the patterns for septa to confirm.  Which my  30X zoom can not see.

I do not see anything there that could correspond to a section neither longitudinal nor transversal nor with the surface of Diploria.

Edited April 18, 2021 by oyo

[Gregcohen]

So you do not have any idea what it is. 

 

I definitely see patterns and structures.  I know the agate fossils from the area are 22-26 million years old.   I guess I'll try Roger and see if he has an idea. 

 

Thanks for taking a look at least. 

 

One strange thing was how it morphed in appearance from wet hours after cleaning till completely dry.  

 

Maybe the Florida Natural History Museum can figure it out.

 

[Gregcohen]

So after a bunch of emails I found someone who had written a paper on Brain corals from The University of Iowa.

 

 

Sounds like it's:

Leptoria spenceri because of the meandroid form and the narrow valleys. Today Leptoria is an Indo-Pacific coral (a merulinid), but it did occur in the Caribbean Oligocene.

[MikeR]

59 minutes ago, Gregcohen said:

So after a bunch of emails I found someone who had written a paper on Brain corals from The University of Iowa.

Sounds like it's:

Leptoria spenceri because of the meandroid form and the narrow valleys. Today Leptoria is an Indo-Pacific coral (a merulinid), but it did occur in the Caribbean Oligocene.

 

Doesn't look like Leptoria either LINK but I am not an expert.

Edited May 4, 2021 by MikeR

[Gregcohen]

Sorry, maybe I should mention she co-wrote the paper on Brain corals.  Plus was one of the two people Roger Portell mentioned as the experts.  He did think it's a coral, but is bigger on shells then coral.  So I found:  

Evolution of the Caribbean subfamily Mussinae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia: Faviidae): transitions between solitary and colonial forms

 

And looked her up.

 

She is "The Expert".  The update should have stated FYI.  

[MikeR]

2 hours ago, Gregcohen said:

Sorry, maybe I should mention she co-wrote the paper on Brain corals.  Plus was one of the two people Roger Portell mentioned as the experts.  He did think it's a coral, but is bigger on shells then coral.  So I found:  

Evolution of the Caribbean subfamily Mussinae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia: Faviidae): transitions between solitary and colonial forms

 

And looked her up.

 

She is "The Expert".  The update should have stated FYI.  

I haven't looked, but if it is Ann Budd then yes she is the expert responsible for the NMITA coral page and if it is she who says it is Leptoria, then it is Leptoria.