Aulopora corals encrusting a Strophodonta brachiopod (Silica Formation, Middle Devonian; quarry northwest of Paulding, Ohio, USA)
Strophodonta fossil brachiopod with encrusting Aulopora corals from the Devonian of Ohio, USA. (Dave Mielke collection; temporary public display, Ohio Geological Survey, Columbus, Ohio, USA)
Auloporids are a group of extinct tabulate corals. They consist of calcareous colonies of hard substrate-encrusting, trumpet-shaped corallites. They first appear in the Ordovician and go extinct in the Permian. The auloporids seen here are encrusting a strophomenid brachiopod from Ohio's famous Silica Formation, a richly fossiliferous unit.
Classification of corals: Animalia, Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Tabulata, Auloporidae
Classification of brachiopod: Animalia, Brachiopoda, Articulata (also known as Rhynchonelliformea), Strophomenida, Strophodontidae
Stratigraphy: Silica Formation (also known as the Silica Shale), Givetian Stage, upper Middle Devonian
Locality: quarry northwest of the town of Paulding, northern Paulding County, northwestern Ohio, USA (41° 10' 52.55" North latitude, 84° 37' 19.32" West longitude)
Aulopora corals encrusting a Strophodonta brachiopod (Silica Formation, Middle Devonian; quarry northwest of Paulding, Ohio, USA)
Strophodonta fossil brachiopod with encrusting Aulopora corals from the Devonian of Ohio, USA. (Dave Mielke collection; temporary public display, Ohio Geological Survey, Columbus, Ohio, USA)
Auloporids are a group of extinct tabulate corals. They consist of calcareous colonies of hard substrate-encrusting, trumpet-shaped corallites. They first appear in the Ordovician and go extinct in the Permian. The auloporids seen here are encrusting a strophomenid brachiopod from Ohio's famous Silica Formation, a richly fossiliferous unit.
Classification of corals: Animalia, Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Tabulata, Auloporidae
Classification of brachiopod: Animalia, Brachiopoda, Articulata (also known as Rhynchonelliformea), Strophomenida, Strophodontidae
Stratigraphy: Silica Formation (also known as the Silica Shale), Givetian Stage, upper Middle Devonian
Locality: quarry northwest of the town of Paulding, northern Paulding County, northwestern Ohio, USA (41° 10' 52.55" North latitude, 84° 37' 19.32" West longitude)