Rare Calcified, Tampa Bay FOSSIL Coral Geode, Montastraea annularis

Description

Description:
Tampa Bay Calcified FOSSIL Coral Geode
,
Montastraea annularis
This is only part of a coral geode from Tampa Bay, Florida.  Unfortunately I do not have the other parts.  But this part shows on the outside and inside the original fossil form of the boulder star coral
,
Montastraea annularis
.
Look closely and you can
see the individual coral polyps (similar to a star coral).  Inside, over many millions of years (from the Miocene Age), the hard Calcium skeleton has been replaced with small Calcite crystals.  This specimen has a white base of Tampa Formation limestone, filled many other Miocene fossils.  It can fluorescent white with a yellow trim.  A recent example of
Montastraea annularis
lives in the western Atlantic Ocean and is the most thoroughly studied and most abundant species of reef-building coral in the Caribbean to date.
This specimen is from an old collection, collected in 1960 to 1970.  The collection site is
Sixmile Creek
in Tampa.  This site no longer exist.  It has been destroyed and reshaped to form the Tampa Bypass Canal.  It is thus almost impossible to find any more calcified coral geodes.  The more famous Silicified Coral Geode specimens were first discovered in the early 19
th
century at the
Ballast Point
area (10 miles South of Sixmile Creek).  The quartz (chalcedony) inside was thought to help in psychic powers of telecommunications. It was perfect for working with past memories, for travel on or near water!!! ???  The calcite crystals in this geode is k
nown as the stone of emotional intelligence.
Calcite
reportedly brings wise energy to help one make timely decisions without the feeling of being rushed.  I'm sure these little known " facts" are more than what you wanted to know... but it is interesting how the geodes were used before they were considered for the fossil value.
In 1979 the Florida Agatized Coral was made the Official State Gemstone.
You get the exact specimen shown in the photos above.  This fossil of
Montastraea annularis
is 9.2 cm. long and 6.3 cm. wide.
If you have any questions or need more pictures - please email me.
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