Sponge or Coral Florida Beach Find?

[Bronzviking]

Hi, I found this on the beach CW Florida. It is brittle, thin and very light but does not float. It's full of aeration holes so I'm guessing it's a type of sponge? 2 photos of front and back. Any help appreciated.

[Rockwood]

Bryozoan worm combo.

[BuddingPaleo]

I love the pattern on it. I'm sure we can ID the bryozoan. I know I've read about that one recently. Give me a bit and I'll go back through my notes.

[BuddingPaleo]

Could it be thalamoporella?

 https://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Thalam_florid.htm

[Bronzviking]

 I have no idea. Let's ask the experienced ones for help. Is this a bryozoan thalamoporella? @MikeR@Plantguy  @Shellseeker @sixgill pete @Peat Burns

[Bronzviking]

Hi Chris can you please look at mine since you have been doing so much research with bryozoans recently? Thanks! @Plantguy

[Plantguy]

Thanks for rebumping this thread. Sorry I did see this post and should have earlier said I was unsure...havent forgotten about this I just dont know right now.

 

Unfortunately, I'm still trying to figure out my pile from the Tamiami fm such that down the road I might use them as reference library as there are many genera/species represented at least in the finds I have and I suspect correlate to those you are finding.

 

Unfortunately this is very slow as I dont have a microscope/camera setup to see/document their details and dont really even have the experience needed to discern the subtleties. I'm trying though. It seems there is a Hippoporidra and Schizoporella that show up as Mike has pointed out in Budding Paleo's earlier thread that seem to be well represented in some of the Tamiami and I'm guessing it could be one of those, probably Schizoporella. BuddingPaleo offered a genus Thalamoporella and a link and I dont think I can say that it isnt at this point. 

Somehow on these guys we need to see what the zooids look like in very fine detail (each one of those small holes/pore like structures) and most of your specimen appears to be very worn down and only the outer edges remain and the identifying surface detail is gone. Since bryozoans are ID'd/distinguished by their microscopic features and I'm a relative rookie with these I'll ask if you can see anything more under magnification in your specimen and if yes, can you get a really sharp image? One area that may show some of this detail which appears promising I've circled in red .

 

Wish I could help with something more specific at this point. Your questioning about what you have is great and I have the same curiosity about my stuff..we might be able to find some more detail and then can throw the question/finds at MikeR or one of the UF guys or maybe Lori or someone else with more bryozoan experience. You are gonna need some very good closeups of the undamaged zooids. I dont have a picture of Schizoporella handy but here's some images of Hippoporidra edax to show the fine details needed...maybe you can rule out that its not Hippoporidra  and from the link for Thalamoporella  just from comparison. 

Cool find. 

Regards, Chris 

@MikeR

P.S. Forgot I have an unverified link for a pdf by John E B Baker that has some coral and bryozoan types.Not dated and no Journal reference. Ahermatypic hexacorals (Scleractinia) & Bryozoa of the Pinecrest Beds of Sarasota, Florida: Late Pliocene Tamiami Fm.  Here's a pic of one of the Schizoporellas from that pdf.

 

 

[Bronzviking]

Hi Chris, I can't get any closer images with my camera but I did look under the eye loop and it doesn't look like your picture above. @Plantguy

[Rockwood]

4 hours ago, Bronzviking said:

Hi Chris, I can't get any closer images with my camera but I did look under the eye loop and it doesn't look like your picture above. @Plantguy

The colony appears to conform to the worm tube in the circled area. That would likely mean that some of the zooids were non feeding, and would throw a real curve into the identification process.

[Plantguy]

On 8/22/2018 at 11:39 AM, Bronzviking said:

Hi Chris, I can't get any closer images with my camera but I did look under the eye loop and it doesn't look like your picture above. @Plantguy

 

On 8/22/2018 at 4:07 PM, Rockwood said:

The colony appears to conform to the worm tube in the circled area. That would likely mean that some of the zooids were non feeding, and would throw a real curve into the identification process.

Yep, understand trying to take pics is a real challenge if the preservation presents itself. There are diff types in the colonies which Rockwood has pointed out and I should have mentioned...I have a few specimens that show some of the different types and their differing forms and maybe someday I'll be able to snag some photos as well and get the experts confirm what I'm seeing as well. If I come up with anything I'll share..

Regards, Chris