Anyone have fossilized Bryozoans? Here is some macros

[Sabre52]

*LOL* OK, now we're both in trouble Rob *L*.....Mel

[jamesp]

I have been having a discussion on the Fossil Forum with a coral expert. He says that coral for example is always changing and differs from habitat to habitat. Taxonomy is changing constantly. And ID of a fossil coral is about impossible. If you look at the books they have many question marks in the line of taxonomy of living coral much less fossil material. They base taxonomy on the structure. However the polyp(living part) assists. I think bryozoans are in a similar situation.

Here is Florida's description of about all the fossil coral i find:

Phylum: CNIDARIA Class: ANTHOZOA Order: SCLERACTINIA Genus: 46 Parenthesis: No Nature of Specimen: CORALLUM (CUT IN TWO AND POLISHED) Period: PALEOGENE-NEOGENE Epoch: OLIGOCENE,LATE-MIOCENE,EARLY Group: HAWTHORN GROUP

They use a number to describe the Genus(46). Most would say montastrea. But even living coral is being moved from genus montastrea to orbicella.

"There are roughly 25 or so extant genera of reef-building (hermatypic) corals in the Tropical Western Atlantic region (Florida, Bahamas, Caribbean). There are many other genera of smaller ahermatypic corals that do not build large colonies and contribute to coral reef growth (many are small solitary 'cup corals'). This number is constantly evolving and a matter of debate (that's what keeps taxonomists employed). Montastraea is one of the main reef-building corals in the greater Caribbean area (though most of its species have recently been pulled into the new genus Orbicella leaving Montastraea cavernosa (with much larger polyps than the others) the only representative of that genus in our area."

[jamesp]

Don's link opened. This is a good one and readable w/out being a scientist. Been looking for this info and thanks Don.

Marine organisms called "corals" and freshwater and marine "bryozoans" belong to separate animal phyla. The phylum is the highest (greatest difference) category for classifying organisms, and corals and bryozoans, although generally alike in many aspects of their construction, are very different kinds of creatures. Corals are in the phylum Cnidaria while bryozoans are in the Ectoprocta (a smaller group, the Entoprocta, are also called bryozoans but do not build large colonies). Like the colonies of each group, the principal biological "units" that build a coral or bryozoan colony are superficially similar in appearance. The coral unit is the polyp while the bryozoan unit is the zooid. Both have tentacles used to capture prey and their bodies are permanently fixed to the colony mass, i.e. sessile. Both coral polyps and bryozoan zooids are able to extend from and contract within the colony matrix. However, closer examination reveals dramatic differences in the two organisms. The coral polyp is a very simple beast, its body being solid and composed of only tissues. A cavity in the center of the animal is used for digestion but is in no way a true stomach or intestine. The bryozoan zooid, on the other hand, is a complex animal with tissues, organs and a distinct body cavity that has nothing to do with digestion. Food is processed through a distinct stomach and an intestine, constituting a complete organ system, and passes out of the body through an anus. In their own way, both creatures generate large colonies of themselves. The most familiar to all of us of course are corals in tropical oceans which construct massive reefs. While not as dramatic, freshwater bryozoan colonies live a similar lifestyle, forming large, extended colonies that can cover large portions of the substrate in freshwater habitats.

[jakesrocks]

James, I just googled difference between coral and bryozoan. Found all sorts of info, but this seemed the easiest to understand.

[jakesrocks]

Hey Mel, I checked all of my fossil invertebrate books, and not a single mention of Cladopora. Then I googled the name and came up with all sorts of info. www.google.com/search?q=Cladopora&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=DKMYU7SHFvPCyAGMgYHIDA&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1389&bih=534

[jamesp]

Mar 6, 2014 10:58:20 GMT -5 jakesrocks said:

James, I just googled difference between coral and bryozoan. Found all sorts of info, but this seemed the easiest to understand.

It was a good piece Don. The Wiki write up on bryozoans gave me a headache. Waaay over my head.

[jakesrocks]

LOL. Me too James. That techi stuff is too deep for me.

[Sabre52]

Don, In my Texas book, Cladopora is actually called by the generic synonym " Coenites". They may have changed the name to avoid confusion with the algae Cladophora. All the stuff I was able to find is pretty darn technical for me and I was heading for a marine biology major for a while *L*. I appears that the main difference between the two organisms is in the soft tissues while the fossils, being the preserved stoney portions of the critter, look too alike in the drawings in my book to be told apart by me.....Mel

[quartz]

What a show and discussion above, thanks to all. Larry