Heliophyllum

Heliophyllum, genus of extinct coral found as fossils in Devonian marine rocks (the Devonian Period began 416 million years ago and lasted about 56 million years). Heliophyllum was a solitary animal rather than a colonial form. The distinctive laminated form of its structure is clearly periodic, its growth being a function of time; this factor has been employed to calculate the length of the Devonian day and year. Several species of Heliophyllum are known.