Coral

Thanks. I will check it out.

Unknown. Got it in an estate sale. Wish I had more.

Is it even a coral? I know very little on the subject.

Probably not coral but who cares . Those patterns are amazing ! Mission - to find out !

Jugglerguy's tumbles. Could it be ? These look like bryozoans...Believe he found these Great Laking around.



Jugglerguy I need you. Dig out the snow and call !



There are some differences. Still say both photos are bryozoans of which there are many.

Would you say this is a Petosky stone Peruano ? some mighty fine structure. Is it silica or in the carbonate zone ?

jamesp I'm very confident that the stingray coral is different from Petosky stones. Here is a link to numerous Petosky photos (jugglerguy's avatar is superb. The Petoskys have a distinct border between polyps where that border is lacking in Stingray. As to degree of silica content the stingray grinds fast but takes a good polish. I'd say the rays are silica and perhaps some of the matrix remains as calcium based minerals.

I'm glad you still have and like them, James. I knew you were going to put them in a safe place, under lock and key, and appreciate them forever, lol.

lol, the pole dancing coral made me fall out of the chair. Exciting video Rob.
My devious side wants to say you have been snow bound too long and have a serious cabin fever.

I assume the 'mushroom' Petosky is the preserved shape ? You have the polish mastered no doubt. Amazing.
Is Cladopora a coral ? check this coral out - Thamnopora alpenensis. Named after Alpena.

If your fossil expert is like other fossil experts he is challenged in identifying coral. Coral is tricky.
What is the black matrix ? Did you find these near your home ?

This article by U of M about Michigan corals:
deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/48348/ID190.pdf;sequence=2

Lol. Great sense of humor in Rob. I remember you said it smells like oil when cutting. You have mastered video production well !

Cladopora and Thamnopora must be similar corals according to U of M link.
Taxonomy descriptions of coral might be more complicated than plant taxonomy descriptions. Taxonomy is not as important as finding beautiful fossil coral.

Alpena County is a coral goldmine so I copied the list of locations from the link for you to check out over the weekend .
Perhaps you must wait for the snow to melt.

REGISTER OF LOCALITIES
Locality:
8. Ledges and bluffs along Lake Michigan at Gravel Point (Pine
River Point, South Point), 134 miles west of Charlevoix, west
line, sec. 28, T. 34 N., R. 8 W., Charlevoix County. Gravel
Point formation, Longispina emmetensis zone.
14. Quarry of the Penn-Dixie Cement Company, about 1% miles west
of Petoskey, Emmet County. Gravel Point formation, lower
Blue shale.
31. Quarry of the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Division of
United States Steel Corporation, at Calcite, SE part of T. 35 N.,
R. 5 E., Presque Isle County. Bell shale.
32. (Grabau locality) ledges along south shore of Long Lake near
Summerville, T. 32 N., R. 8 E., Alpena County. Lower part of,
Genshaw limestone.
37. Shallow abandoned quarry on Hillman Road, about 2 miles west
of Alpena Cemetery, SE % SW % sec. 19, T. 31 N., R. 8 E.,
Alpena County. Potter Farm formation.
38. Abandoned quarry of Kelley's Island Lime and Transport Company, at Rockport, sec. 6, T. 32 N., R. 9 E., Alpena County.
Upper part of Bell shale.
41. Exposures along banks and in bed of Thunder Bay River below
Four Mile Dam, % mile S center sec. 7, T. 31 N., R. 8 E.,
Alpena County. Four Mile Dam formation.
49. Abandoned quarry of El Cajon Cement Co., at El Cajon Beach,
center W 9 NE f/4 sec. 10, T. 31 N., R. 9 E., Alpena County.
Lower part of Genshaw formation.
CORALS OF THE TRAVERSE GROUP 277
53. Abandoned quarry of Thunder Bay Quarries Company, eastern
edge of Alpena, SE f/4 sec. 14, T. 31 N., R. 8 E., Alpena County.
Four Mile Dam limestone.
55. Cut on abandoned railway of Kelley's Island Lime and Transport
Company, about 1 mile south of Bell, SW % SW % sec. 24,
T. 33 N., R. 8 E., Alpena County. Bell shale.
68. Shale pit at northwest corner of Evergreen Cemetery at west city
limits of Alpena, SW f/4 sec. 21, T. 31 N., R. 8 E., Alpena
County. Potter Farm formation