Honeycomb-like Fossil from Al Ain (United Arab Emirates)

[MrBones]

Hello again,

 

Here's another Eocene fossil from Al Ain, found close to Jebel Hafeet.

There are also some nummulites in the matrix. I'm guessing it's a coral of some type. The preservtion is quite odd, almost like there's some iron oxide layer present. I've only seen this a handful of times, usually only on fossil gastropod shells.

 

Edit: Forgot the scale! They honeycomb structure measures just under 1cm across (less than half an inch)

 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by MrBones

[Fossildude19]

Looks somewhat like a Pleurodictyum coral. Age is wrong for that, however.

I assume some sort of coral, but that's as far as I can go with it.

 

@TqB @FossilDAWG @digit

[MrBones]

1 hour ago, Fossildude19 said:

Looks somewhat like a Pleurodictyum coral. Age is wrong for that, however.

I assume some sort of coral, but that's as far as I can go with it.

 

@TqB @FossilDAWG @digit

 

I searched that out of curiosity, and it seems you've found an ID for something in my collection that I have not posted yet!

Many thanks.

[oyo]

Astrocoenia numisma.

Some specimens from my collection. 

[MrBones]

13 minutes ago, oyo said:

Astrocoenia numisma.

 

How beautiful!

Looks like it belongs on an old brooch or some other type of jewelry.

Thanks for the id.

Edited December 28, 2023 by MrBones

[ClearLake]

3 hours ago, oyo said:

Astrocoenia numisma.

Some specimens from my collection. 

Those are indeed beautiful specimens!  May I ask where they come from?  I'm not looking for X, Y coordinates, just the part of the world.  Thanks

[oyo]

Europe, Spain. Southern Pyrenean basin. Middel Eocene, Bartonian.

[ClearLake]

3 hours ago, oyo said:

Europe, Spain. Southern Pyrenean basin. Middel Eocene, Bartonian.

Very interesting, thank you!!  Somewhere else to learn about for my next European adventure 

[oyo]

It will be very simple. You only have to explore about 30,000 square kilometers and locate the 10 square meters where they appear.

🤣🤣🤣

[ClearLake]

2 hours ago, oyo said:

It will be very simple. You only have to explore about 30,000 square kilometers and locate the 10 square meters where they appear

LOL, yes isn't that the truth!  Luckily, I will not even attempt that level of investigation, but I will do some more self education on the geology of the area if I ever get to that part of Spain.  I always enjoy learning about fossiliferous areas if I am travelling through them.

[oyo]

You would like the area.
It was a narrow strip flooded by the Tethys during the Cretaceous and early Tertiary. At the end of the Eocene the marine arm closes. Being a shallow area, corals proliferated.
For Cretaceous and Eocene corals it is a very interesting area.