Geobulletin alpha

Source info:

Author:	Dave
Date:	2014-03-12 08:01:00
Blog:	Views of the Mahantango
URL:	http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/2014/03/macgeea-bathycalyx-coral-from-germany.html

Summary:

I really like this coral fossil of Macgeea bathycalyx. It comes from the Nims member of the Junkerberg Formation (Devonian, Eifelian stage) near Rommersheim, Germany. It is an interesting fossil because it looks like a typical rugose coral, with a typical horn shape and cup, but the septae extend on both sides of the cup rather than being confined to the interior. Macgeea bathycalyx is a member of the Phillipsastreidae family of rugose corals and is related to Pachyphyllum sp. corals such as this Pachyphyllum woodmani from the upper Devonian of Iowa.It's interesting to note that the genera Macgeea is found in the US but moreso in the upper Devonian (Fransian stage) rather than the lower to middle Devonian where this specimen comes from. It may be a transplant species that spread as continents came together in the late Paleozoic era.Thanks to Nils for this specimen.

Content analysis:

Stratigraphic context:

Recognized stratigraphic terms [n]:	Paleozoic [1] Devonian [4] Eifelian [1]
Agenames chronostratigraphy [rating]:	Paleozoic [0.78] Phanerozoic [0.78] Devonian [0.7] Eifelian [0.1] Middle Devonian [0.1]

Geographic context:

Location	Country	Latitude	Longitude
Germany	DE	51.1642	10.4542
Rommersheim	DE	49.8229	8.0897
United States	US	37.1679	-95.845

Keywords:

continents, Coral, coral fossil, cup, Eifelian stage, Fransian stage, genera Macgeea, Germany, interesting fossil, Junkerberg Formation, late Paleozoic, Macgeea bathycalyx, Macgeea bathycalyx coral, Nils, Nims member, Pachyphyllum sp. corals, Pachyphyllum woodmani, Phillipsastreidae family, Rommersheim, rugose corals, septae, sides, specimen, spread, transplant, typical horn shape, typical rugose, upper Devonian