Coral Fossil

[Kathyeva]

I found this fossil in my stream. My stream leads right into the river behind my house. It’s called the Kishwaukee South branch. I am a rockhound, but I’m having a problem with this particular fossil.

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Maybe a tabulate coral like Syringopora.

 

 

Dekalb County exposes mostly Ordovician aged bedrock, and some Silurian.

 

[TqB]

I agree it's Syringopora. The internal structure is distinctive and rules out other similar looking colonial corals.

[FossilDAWG]

I'm also on board with Syringopora.

 

Don

[Kathyeva]

26 minutes ago, TqB said:

I agree it's Syringopora. The internal structure is distinctive and rules out other similar looking colonial corals.

OK, so this is the area I’m talking about. That’s like a hard almost like a hard show around it. The top is all opened up like what you’re saying the SYRINGOPRA but the circular area is a hard shell of some sort

[TqB]

6 minutes ago, Kathyeva said:

OK, so this is the area I’m talking about. That’s like a hard almost like a hard show around it. The top is all opened up like what you’re saying the SYRINGOPRA but the circular area is a hard shell of some sort

 

 

No reason why it isn't just that, a piece of shell, possibly the substrate for the coral but can't tell from the photos.

[Fossildude19]

Photos are too blurry to make out much of anything.

Your hand/fingers are in focus, not the fossil.

Try placing it on a flat surface, outside, and take a picture or two.

 

If THIS is the area you are talking about...

 

 

It could be a very eroded shell, or some other type of mineral build up.

I don't think anything definitive can be stated about it. 

[Kathyeva]

51 minutes ago, TqB said:

 

 

No reason why it isn't just that, a piece of shell, possibly the substrate for the coral but can't tell from the photos.

I tried to take a video and send it to you, but it seems to be too large

[Kathyeva]

Just now, Kathyeva said:

I tried to take a video and send it to you, but it seems to be too large

I agree with all of you and that’s kind of what I thought because I was looking at a lot of different corals from Northern Illinois and Wisconsin area, but I couldn’t find anyone except for the one that you guys mentioned but then the bottom was so different . I’m going to continue cleaning out that bottom part and everything around it with my baking soda and my vinegar and if I find any surprises, I will let you guys know, but I think you guys are absolutely right and I really think

[TqB]

13 minutes ago, Kathyeva said:

I tried to take a video and send it to you, but it seems to be too large

Clear photos are always better than videos for ID, though video can sometimes be useful to get a sense of shape.