Favosites gothlandicus

Overview

Favosites gothlandicus is a coral whose many corallites gather into a somewhat flattened hemispherical colony. Silurian material from Gotland has been studied. The large colony outline and polygonal corallites can be examined separately.^[1]

Key facts

The first corallite is described as lying away from the colony’s center. A researcher interpreted this as a possible sign of preferential growth in one direction. Colony growth was thus not always perfectly symmetrical.^[1]

Time and place

It is known through research on Silurian corals from Gotland. The Silurian spanned approximately 440–420 million years ago. Colony form and small corallites provide clues to the growth of ancient corals.^[1][2]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

The whole colony is described as a somewhat flattened hemisphere. A diagnosis quoted in the literature describes polygonal corallites and thin double walls. The broad hemispherical outline and small skeletons within it represent features at different scales.^[1]

The skeleton of Favosites gothlandicus evokes a honeycomb of tightly packed small chambers. Examination of 336 chambers in one colony from Gotland, Sweden, found a mean maximum diameter of 2.62 mm per chamber. This measures the small skeletal chambers composing the colony, not the entire colony.^[3]

Habitat and reproduction

In which direction does a colony expand as small individuals multiply? A researcher proposed a preferred growth direction from the eccentric position of the first individual. This explores how growth beginning at one point connects with the form of the whole colony.^[1]

Fossil discovery

Stel’s 1978 study of Gotland corals addressed species-level colony forms and corallite features. A chart linked to RGM243711 from Snoder 1 also presented the distribution of corallite measurements. Different evidence reveals the broad outline and small skeletons.^[1]

References

1. Stel (1978) — Morphology of Silurian corals from Gotland
2. International Commission on Stratigraphy (2024) — Geological time chart
3. Stel (1978) — Morphology and environment of Silurian corals from Gotland
4. Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2018) — Study of chain coral growth

Research questions

Is the colony’s center also where growth began? The eccentric first individual of Favosites gothlandicus invites consideration of growth direction. This asks where growth started within the present outline.^[1]

Observation

Move your gaze from the somewhat flattened hemispherical outline to the polygonal corallites. Imagining the position of the first individual helps connect the large colony with its direction of growth.^[1]