Falospongia

Last updated

Falospongia
Temporal range: Burgess Shale
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Falospongia ramosa Illustration by Pennetta.jpg
Artist Restoration of Falospongia ramosa
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Protomonaxonida
Family: Hazeliidae
Genus: Falospongia
Rigby, 1986
Species
  • F. falata Rigby, 1986 [1] (type)
  • F. ramosa Rigby & Collins 2004 [2]

Falospongia is a genus of sponge made up of radiating fronds, known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Its name is derived from the Latin fala ("scaffold") and spongia ("sponge"), referring to the open framework of the skeleton. It superficially resembles Haplistion but is monaxial. [2] 5 specimens of Falospongia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise under 0.1% of the community. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Choia</i> Genus of sponges

Choia is a genus of extinct demosponge ranging from the Cambrian until the Lower Ordovician periods. Fossils of Choia have been found in the Burgess Shale in British Columbia; the Maotianshan shales of China; the Wheeler Shale in Utah; and the Lower Ordovician Fezouata formation. It was first described in 1920 by Charles Doolittle Walcott.

<i>Leanchoilia</i> Extinct genus of arthropods

Leanchoilia is an megacheiran arthropod known from Cambrian deposits of the Burgess Shale in Canada and the Chengjiang biota of China. It was about 5 centimetres (2.0 in) long and had long, whip-like feelers mounted on frontal arm-like appendages. Its internal organs are occasionally preserved within the substrate in three dimensions.

<i>Odaraia</i> Extinct genus of crustaceans

Odaraia is a genus of bivalved arthropod from the Middle Cambrian. Its fossils, which reach 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in length, have been found in the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, Canada. 217 specimens of Odaraia alata are known from the Greater Phyllopod Bed, where they comprise 0.41% of the community.

<i>Chancelloria</i> Extinct genus of Cambrian animals

Chancelloria is a genus of early animals known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale, the Comley limestone, the Wheeler Shale, the Bright Angel Shale and elsewhere. It is named after Chancellor Peak. It was first described in 1920 by Charles Doolittle Walcott, who regarded them as one of the most primitive groups of sponges. This appears unlikely, and it is currently placed in the enigmatic group Coeloscleritophora. 178 specimens of Chancelloria are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.34% of the community.

Crumillospongia is a genus of middle Cambrian sponges known from the Burgess Shale and other localities from the Lower and Middle Cambrian. Its name is derived from the Latin crumilla and spongia ("sponge"), a reflection of its similarity to a small leathery money purse. That is, it has a saclike shape, and its wall has holes of two sizes, with a well-developed internal canal system. 49 specimens of Crumillospongia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.1% of the community.

<i>Plenocaris</i> Extinct genus of arthropods

Plenocaris plena is a crustacean-like arthropod with a bivalved carapace, and is known from the Burgess shale and Chengjiang. 106 specimens of Plenocaris are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.20% of the community.

<i>Hazelia</i> Extinct genus of sponges

Hazelia is a genus of spicular Cambrian demosponge known from the Burgess Shale, the Marjum formation of Utah, and possibly Chengjiang. It was described by Charles Walcott in 1920.

<i>Takakkawia</i> Extinct genus of sponges

Takakkawia is a genus of sponge in the order Protomonaxonida and the family Takakkawiidae. It is known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale that reached around 4 cm in height. Its structure comprises four columns of multi-rayed, organic spicules that align to form flanges. The spicules form blade-like structures, ornamented with concentric rings.

The Phyllopod bed, designated by USNM locality number 35k, is the most famous fossil-bearing member of the Burgess Shale fossil Lagerstätte. It was quarried by Charles Walcott from 1911–1917, and was the source of 95% of the fossils he collected during this time; tens of thousands of soft-bodied fossils representing over 150 genera have been recovered from the Phyllopod bed alone.

Eiffelia is an extinct genus of sponges known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale as well as several Early Cambrian small shelly fossil deposits. It is named after Eiffel Peak, which was itself named after the Eiffel Tower. It was first described in 1920 by Charles Doolittle Walcott. It belongs in the Hexactinellid stem group. 60 specimens of Eiffelia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.11% of the community.

Fieldospongia is a genus of sea sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Just five specimens of Fieldospongia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise less than 0.1% of the community.

<i>Halichondrites</i> Genus of sponges

Halichondrites, sometimes mis-spelt Halicondrites is an extinct genus of sea sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 7 specimens of Halichondrites are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise < 0.1% of the community.

Hamptonia is an extinct genus of sea sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale and the Lower Ordovician Fezouata formation. It was first described in 1920 by Charles Doolittle Walcott. 48 specimens of Hamptonia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise < 0.1% of the community.

<i>Hanburia gloriosa</i> Extinct genus of trilobites

Hanburia gloriosa is a corynexochid trilobite known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Four specimens of Hanburia gloriosa are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise < 0.1% of the community.

<i>Molaria</i> Extinct genus of arthropods

Molaria is a genus of Cambrian arthropod, the type species M. spinifera is known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 144 specimens of Molaria are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.27% of the community. A second species M. steini was described from the Sirius Passet in Greenland in 2017.

Leptomitus is a genus of demosponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Its name is derived from the Greek lept ("slender") and mitos ("thread"), referring to the overall shape of the sponge. 138 specimens of Leptomitus are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.26% of the community.

Pirania is an extinct genus of sea sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale and the Ordovician Fezouata formation. It is named after Mount St. Piran, a mountain situated in the Bow River Valley in Banff National Park, Alberta. It was first described in 1920 by Charles Doolittle Walcott. 198 specimens of Pirania are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.38% of the community.

Protospongia is a genus of Porifera known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 102 specimens of Protospongia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.19% of the community.

Wapkia is an extinct genus of sea sponge with radial sclerites, known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. It was first described in 1920 by Charles Doolittle Walcott. 32 specimens of Wapkia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.06% of the community.

<i>Diagoniella</i> Extinct genus of sponges

Diagoniella is a genus of sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 128 specimens of Diagoniella are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.24% of the community.

References

  1. Rigby, J. K. (1986). "Sponges of the Burgess shale (Middle Cambrian), British Columbia". Palaeontographica Canadiana (2).
  2. 1 2 Rigby, J. K.; Collins, D. (2004). "Sponges of the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale and Stephen Formations, British Columbia". ROM contributions in science. 1. ISBN   0-88854-443-X. ISSN   1710-7768.
  3. Caron, Jean-Bernard; Jackson, Donald A. (October 2006). "Taphonomy of the Greater Phyllopod Bed community, Burgess Shale". PALAIOS. 21 (5): 451–65. doi:10.2110/palo.2003.P05-070R. JSTOR   20173022.