6.8" Funky, Botryoidal, Agatized Fossil Coral - Florida

What we have for you is a spectacular specimen of agatized coral from the Basin Deposits of Florida. This fossil coral is Miocene (26.8-52 million years) in age, and was formed when fine sediments covered shallow coral reefs. As silica rich groundwater seeped through rock that was exposed as sea levels dropped, it replaced the calcium carbonate skeleton of the coral with chalcedony. There are a number of types of fossil coral present, but given that replacement destroys much of the original detail, more specific identification is quite difficult. Despite this, structures consistent with rugose coral are represented on this specimen.

On this specimen, the chalcedony has crystallized in a botryoidal habit with a large globular mass on a layer of rugose coral skeleton.