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This cup
coral of the Silurian period (about 400 million years ago) was found in Lockport dolomite
in a thin layer that was less consolidated, so the fossil broke free with just one
fracture, right down the middle. This allows one to see the internal structure
of the fossil in some detail. (See second view below.) Not visible in the
picture are tiny dolomite (calcium-magnesium carbonate) crystals lining each of the small
chambers in the interior.
Coral belongs to the phylum coelenterate, which includes sea anemones corals, jellyfish and sea pens. This particular kind of coral is of a type now extinct.
Coral forms in marine environments. The Lockport area was under water at one time. Glacial "Lake Tonawanda" formed south of Lockport and one of the routes it emptied through to lower Lake Ontario was at Lockport. In addition to "Lockport Falls" there were falls at Gasport, Medina, and most importantly, Lewiston at the mouth of Niagara Gorge. As the level of Lake Tonawanda gradually receded, and with a slight westward tilt of the surface, most of the water found its outlet at Lewiston. The falls to the east finally dried up (before they had carved out much of a slot in the Niagara Scarp). Eventually Lake Tonawanda was completely dried up when in-coming water (from Lake Erie) fell below the spillways which fed it, going instead completely through the Niagara Gorge. The falls at Lewiston gradually worked its way back to what is now Niagara Falls---the only outlet that remains.
You have reached the end of the galleries exhibiting our
current fossil collection.
We will be adding more specimens on a continuing basis.
To proceed to other Museum galleries please
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