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Cnidaria: Tabulate corals

Silurian Reef Fossil illustration, Plate 10, Fig. 06, Wisconsin Geology Survey
Silurian Reef Fossil illustration, Plate 10, Fig. 06, Wisconsin Geology Survey

TABULATE CORALS are an extinct group that is related to modern corals. Like modern corals, tabulate corals lived only in seawater. Individual coral animals fed by capturing small animals and other food particles with their tentacles. Tabulates were an exclusively colonial group, and their coral animals were much smaller than those of rugose corals. Tabulate coral colonies formed a variety of shapes, as shown by the figures above. At least 12 species of tabulate corals lived in the Silurian reefs of Wisconsin, where they functioned as constructors. Seven of these species are present in the reef diorama.

Kingdom Animalia:
Phylum: Cnidaria:

Class:
Subclass: Order: Family:
Genus and species

Anthozoa:
Tabulata: Favositida: Favositidae: Favosites sp. 1
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Favositidae: Favosites sp. 2
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Favositidae: Favosites sp. 3
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Alveolitidae: Alveolites  sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Coenitidae: Coenites  sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Pachyporidae: Pachypora sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Pachyporidae: Cladopora sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Pachyporidae: Striatopora sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Favositida: Pachyporidae: Thamnopora sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: HeliolitidaHeliolitidae: Heliolites sp. 1
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Heliolitida: Heliolitidae: Heliolites sp. 2
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Heliolitida: Halysitidae: Halysites sp 1
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Heliolitida: Halysitidae: Halysites sp 2
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Heliolitida: Proporidae: Propora sp.
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Auloporida: Auloporidae: Aulopora sp.1
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Auloporida: Auloporidae: Aulopora sp. 2
Anthozoa: Tabulata: Auloporida: Syringoporidae: Syringopora sp.

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