Fossil Coral Cabochon Mounted

Description

Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.

Fossil coral is essentially the preserved remains or traces of corals that existed in prehistoric times. These fossils are formed when the original skeletal structures of corals, primarily composed of calcium carbonate, are replaced by minerals or are preserved in a sedimentary matrix over geological time scales. Unlike living corals that are often colorful and vibrant, fossil corals typically present as stone and retain the structure of the coral.