Coral? From Post Oak Creek In Texas

[vellis]

This came from Sherman Texas in Post Oak creek. It is Cretacous, right around where the Austin Chalk and Eagle Ford Shale meet. It is about an inch long total. I had thought maybe worm tube until I cleaned it off some.

[ghost1066]

Sure looks like coral to me. No help on sp. sorry.

[araucaria1959]

How large is it? If you compared it with a worm tube, it might be quite small. If so, it can be a bryozoan.

araucaria1959

[erose]

If the whole thing is an inch long then those openings are small (<mm) so I would say Bryozoa as well.

[Missourian]

Another, slim possibility is Ophiomorpha, which is a pellet-lined burrow.

[fossiladdict]

I think it's a type of coral but I could be completely wrong. It's hard to find books/journals/etc. that relate to fossils found in this area. See my picture for more examples:

It's a common fossil to find in the creek.

Edit: Here's another one I found:

Edited March 11, 2013 by fossiladdict

[Wrangellian]

Lyla, these are the same as the small sample you sent me, right? I'd say Bryozoan fits the bill but I know nothing of names/etc for that locality/age. I'd like to see more examples/closeups.

[fossiladdict]

Lyla, these are the same as the small sample you sent me, right? I'd say Bryozoan fits the bill but I know nothing of names/etc for that locality/age. I'd like to see more examples/closeups.

Yes. Other than a few other small pieces, that's all that I have kept of this specimen. I can do a macro shot to see if it helps.

[fossiladdict]

Not sure if my pictures are any better but here are some close ups left at a good size.

[Wrangellian]

Good pics! I'm still saying bryozoan because of the small size of the 'holes' but will see what others have to say.

[fossiladdict]

I was thinking it could be Auloporid coral, but not sure as the ends in most cases are worn off or broke. Will be interesting to see if someone can identify the exact species...inquiring minds would like to know .

[jkfoam]

The Auloporids were tabulate corals which were long gone by the Cretaceous. When I enlarge the photos I still can't see any evidence of a septal pattern in any of the openings. I'm thinking Bryozoa.

Jim

[Wrangellian]

I'm not too familiar with all the coral types either, or whether they can have coralites that small.. which is why I think bryozoan as they have smaller zooids(?) than corals do. I suppose it could be a sponge too.. I'd say it's either a sponge or bryo, less likely a coral. We need the experts to comment!

[fossiladdict]

Yeah, I'm not familiar enough with bryozoans, corals, or even sponges to know. Some are easily identifiable but others I have no clue.

[Boneman007]

Whatever it is, it is super rare in the Eagleford group!

Congrats!

[Herb]

How about "Cladophyllia sp."?

[bone2stone]

These washed off of a huge colony up-river, the colony is as large as a VW.

The outcropping has been known for nearly 30 years.

I too have some small specimens. Stuff is scattered all down that creek.

Found a Pleisiosaur Vert just under water at the outcropping, and six 3" ray verts in the sandy deposit above that strata.

I believe Herb nailed it. That was the response I got at the Fossilmania show back in 1984.

I will group all my Eagleford corals and post them.

Five different species even one UK "Horn".

Jess B.

[DPS Ammonite]

I found these corals or bryozoan (I don't know) growing on the Cameleolopha bellaplicata (older name is Lopha bellaplicata) oysters. I also found several quarter-sized colonial corals that look similar to Septastrea sp. in Finsley's A field Guide to Fossils of Texas that also grew on the oysters. I believe that both species grew on oysters for support because they could not grow on the soft Eagle Ford mud. I was told that both species are unidentified. Does anyone know the name of the colonial coral?