MHAN Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 (edited) I collected this piece in Brisbane, Australia. Can I pease ask: How do I know if it is fossilised coral or just recent coral? (how can I tell) Thanks. Can you please give me more information on this piece, what kind of brain coral is it ? Thank you so much! Edited January 27, 2022 by MHAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 10 hours ago, MHAN said: How do I know if it is fossilised coral or just recent coral? (how can I tell) Thanks. Would be much easier to know for sure if you were well inland like Coober Pedy but being along the coast there is the possibility of it being more recent. Where exactly was this coral found? If it was on the beach or in very close proximity, then I would suggest that it is relatively recent. If it was found several kilometers inland and does not appear to have been transported by humans (we do love to move interesting rocks) then the chances are much better that the coral is older and from a time when the sea levels were higher. In cases like this context is everything. I'm better with corals from the Caribbean (and much better identifying live colonies rather than skeletal remains). I would hazard a guess that your specimen might be from the family Merulinidae which may at least give you a place to start searching. Welcome to the forum! We are largely US-centric but we do have a number of members from down under. Cheers. -Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oyo Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Important questions, necessary answers. I would not rule out other families like Faviidae. An article that can help you. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273628981_Wallace_CC_Fellegara_I_Muir_P_R_and_Harrison_P_L_2009The_scleractinian_corals_of_Moreton_Bay_SE_Eastern_Australia_high_latitude_marginal_assemblages_with_increasing_species_richness_Memoirs_of_the_Que 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHAN Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 8 hours ago, digit said: Would be much easier to know for sure if you were well inland like Coober Pedy but being along the coast there is the possibility of it being more recent. Where exactly was this coral found? If it was on the beach or in very close proximity, then I would suggest that it is relatively recent. If it was found several kilometers inland and does not appear to have been transported by humans (we do love to move interesting rocks) then the chances are much better that the coral is older and from a time when the sea levels were higher. In cases like this context is everything. I'm better with corals from the Caribbean (and much better identifying live colonies rather than skeletal remains). I would hazard a guess that your specimen might be from the family Merulinidae which may at least give you a place to start searching. Welcome to the forum! We are largely US-centric but we do have a number of members from down under. Cheers. -Ken Great answers! Thank you so much, Ken. I found it in my friend's backyard so I guess it was moved by human. You answer inspired me a lot! I appriciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHAN Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 5 hours ago, oyo said: Important questions, necessary answers. I would not rule out other families like Faviidae. An article that can help you. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273628981_Wallace_CC_Fellegara_I_Muir_P_R_and_Harrison_P_L_2009The_scleractinian_corals_of_Moreton_Bay_SE_Eastern_Australia_high_latitude_marginal_assemblages_with_increasing_species_richness_Memoirs_of_the_Que Wow, very useful resources! I did find something similar in the article! Thank you so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHAN Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 6 hours ago, oyo said: Important questions, necessary answers. I would not rule out other families like Faviidae. An article that can help you. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273628981_Wallace_CC_Fellegara_I_Muir_P_R_and_Harrison_P_L_2009The_scleractinian_corals_of_Moreton_Bay_SE_Eastern_Australia_high_latitude_marginal_assemblages_with_increasing_species_richness_Memoirs_of_the_Que I think this one looks very much like mine! Holocene sub-fossil assemblage dominated by species of Faviidae, Empire Point (Photo: CCW). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Favids was the other possibility. I'd say this is a pretty good match too. People are always fascinated with the details and textures of coral skeletons and so many end up in people's yards or garden areas. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHAN Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 3 hours ago, digit said: Favids was the other possibility. I'd say this is a pretty good match too. People are always fascinated with the details and textures of coral skeletons and so many end up in people's yards or garden areas. Cheers. -Ken Yes they are beautiful! Thanks Ken for your kind help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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