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Phylum Cnidaria

Phylum Cnidaria

Cnidaria is a diverse phylum which includes corals, jellyfish, and other aquatic critters with stinging cells called nematocysts. Many cnidarians live in the ocean but some can be found in freshwater settings such as lakes and rivers (UCMP). The cnidarian fossil record extends back to the Precambrian (~580 million years ago) and can still be found in bodies of water today.

Class Anthozoa

Anthozoa is a cnidarian class that includes corals, sea anemones, sea fans, and sea pens. Most recognizable are the corals, which have been major reef building animals throughout Earth’s history (UCMP). Anthozoa dates back to the Precambrian (~580 million years ago) and are still found today. However, corals living today (Scleractinia) first appear around the time dinosaurs evolved in the Triassic (~243 million years ago). The other two major coral groups, Rugosa and Tabulata, went extinct at the end Permian Mass Extinction event (~251 million years ago). There is a gap in our understanding of coral evolution because of this interval called ‘the coral gap’ where there are no documented anthozoans in the fossil record.

Rugosa

Rugosa, previously referred to as Tetracorallia, is an extinct group of solitary and colonial corals that lived from the Ordovician to the Permian (~480-251 million years ago). Solitary (single) rugose corals are often called ‘horn corals’ because of their distinctive shape that looks familiar to a bull’s horn. Colonial rugose corals do not take this same diagnostic shape (Digital Atlas of Ancient Life).


Click on an image below to open a Specimen Details page.
Showing search results for: ''


Specimen: UMMP IP 5163
Taxon: Streptelasma superba/?
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Specimen: UMMP IP 5336
Taxon: Billingsastraea verneuilli
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Specimen: UMMP IP 8566C
Taxon: Heliophyllum halli
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Specimen: UMMP IP 19605
Taxon: Siphonophrentis gigantea
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Specimen: UMMP IP 21890
Taxon: Hexagonaria percarinatum
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Specimen: UMMP IP 28830
Taxon: Lophophyllidium spinosum
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Specimen: UMMP IP 36120
Taxon: Acinophyllum mclareni
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Specimen: UMMP IP 44594
Taxon: Heterophrentis ferronensis
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Specimen: UMMP IP 55622
Taxon: Billingsastraea yandelli
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Specimen: UMMP IP 75653.001
Taxon:
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Specimen: UMMP IP 75717.001
Taxon:
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Specimen: UMMP IP 76717.001
Taxon: rugose
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Specimen: UMMP IP 76720.001
Taxon: rugose
Element:




Tabulata

Tabulata, or commonly referred to as tabulate corals, first appeared in the Early Ordovician and went extinct at the end Permian (~480-251 million years ago). These corals were important reef builders during the Silurian and Devonian periods and are easily recognizable by their honeycomb like pattern. Other types of tabulate corals look more like chain links or even small networks of tubes, which can be found attached to other sea creatures such as brachiopods(Digital Atlas of Ancient Life).


Click on an image below to open a Specimen Details page.
Showing search results for: ''


Specimen: UMMP IP 8545
Taxon: Syringopora verticillata
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Specimen: UMMP IP 17049
Taxon: Thamnoptychia silicensis
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Specimen: UMMP IP 21576
Taxon: Favosites alpenensis
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Specimen: UMMP IP 23125
Taxon: Emmonsia tuberosa
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Specimen: UMMP IP 56436
Taxon: Favosites alpenensis
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Specimen: UMMP IP 61613
Taxon: Aulopora microbuccinata
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Our mission is to support, enhance, and collaborate in the research and instructional activities of the faculty, students, and staff, and contribute to the common good by collecting, organizing, preserving, and sharing the Paleontological record. This mission is accomplished through the establishment of the various collections and programs available through the Museum of Paleontology.
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