2.4" Polished Fossil Chain Coral (Catenipora) - Estonia

This is a polished fossil chain coral colony collected from the Pirgu River Outcrops of Estonia. The genus of this chain coral fossil is Catenipora and it would be Upper Ordovician in age, ~445-449 million years old (Pirgu Stage). The polishing allows for the beautiful, inner structure of the coral colony to be seen.

Like other chain coral of the extinct family Halysitidae, these organisms grew as jelly-like polyps that surrounded themselves in straw-like tubules. As they grew and multiplied, they would build up the walls to their tubules, as well as add new "links". These coral fossils are found in rock formations dating to the upper Ordovician period, roughly 450 million years ago.