Colonial Coral ?

[Charmin]

Is this colonial coral or a sponge? Found in northern Oklahoma, along Kansas border.
Thanks for any help!!
sandcreek~~
Oops, I forgot to put a ruler in the pic---this measures 1 1/2" x 3/4".

 

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[jrsherman]

Can't help you any, as I am a fossilis beginneris, but that is pretty cool! The little holes in each stem are really neat!

 

[Charmin]

Can't help you any, as I am a fossilis beginneris, but that is pretty cool! The little holes in each stem are really neat!

Thanks JR! Those little holes are pretty neat---I am a fossil beginner, too . I think this is some kind of coral but just as soon as I say that, it will be something else.

sandcreek~~

 

[jrsherman]

Honestly I would think coral too, as it is my understanding that in todays coral, the polyp lives in a very small tube, and builds up just like a tube worm does, little by little. That would match perfect with the little holes in each tube, but I'll wait patiently for the experts!

 

[naturegirl]

That's a neat one, good pictures too! I'll be watching....

 

[Charmin]

That's a neat one, good pictures too! I'll be watching....

Thanks naturegirl---I had a hard time getting the camera to focus on those little holes.
I found a similar one on the Kansas fossil website(http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/ancient/f08_corals.html )called an "auloporid". Here's a picture from the website and a brief description:
Another form of coral is colonial, a simple example of which is auloporid on the left in the photo above. Lacking in internal skeletal features, each successive trumpet-shaped individual or "corralite" directly builds from its parent predecessor in a manner termed budding.
See what you think.....

 

[LanceHall]

Maybe "syringopora"?

 

[Charmin]

Maybe "syringopora"?

Yes, maybe so . It says "Syringopora grew as individuals not a true colony coral. They built their tubes close and joined together with small connecting tubes."......From the website http://www.catnapin.com/Fossil/CoralReef/ffCoral.htm .
Thanks LanceHall
sandcreek~~