Lang Mon acient coral

Lang Mon ancient coral, one of geological heritage sites of Non Nuoc Cao Bang geopark, located in Lang Mon commune, Nguyen Binh district. This is also the first stop of the western route named Experience Phia Oac –the Mountain of transformation, where visitors might experience and learn about the development of the earth. About 400 millions years ago, this area was a shallow sea where from the limestone was formed, containing a great quantity of fossils, witnessing a long past rich marine life.

Coral fossils in Lang Mon                                                  A possible view from this place about 400 years ago

A majority of these living creatures correspond to corals which live in coastal shallow marine environment, 20-50m deep at temperatures of 18-20°C. Corals (scientifically named Anthozoa – “flower animals”) are marine animals that have the appearance of flowers. Corals are round and small, and live in communities. They are fixed in place, so they are often well preserved. Moreover, survival and development of corals significantly depend on environmental conditions such as temperature, depth, salinity and light. Thus coral fossils are extremely useful for determining the age of rocks as well as the past environmental conditions of where they used to live.

At this site there are also other kinds of fossils called “brachiopods”. Brachiopods are virtually defenceless and a shell, enclosing their organs, is their only protection. Most are permanently attached by a fleshy stalk (pedicle) to a hard, sea-floor surface, such as a rock outcrop, boulder or another shell. Brachiopods are incapable of actively pursuing food. Today there are still 300 species of brachiopods living in cold, often deep waters, after the majority of the group went extinct during a major planet crisis with mass extinction that occurred 252 million years ago (end of the Permian).

Ancient coral information site in Lang Mon

The first information site, Lang Mon acient coral site, in the western route of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark – Experience Phia Oac –the Mountain of transformation would enrich visitors with initial feelings of particular significant value of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark.