Halichondrites

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Halichondrites
Temporal range: Middle Cambrian
HalichondritesElissa-Detail NaturhistorischesMuseum Nov14-10.jpg
Fossil detail of a Halichondrites elissa, on display at the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna.
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Protomonaxonida
Family: Halichondritidae
Genus: Halichondrites
Dawson, 1889
Species
  • Halichondrites confusus Dawson, 1889
  • Halichondrites elissa Walcott, 1920 [2]
  • Halichondrites? actiniformis Howell & Landes, 1936 [3]
  • Halichondrites? robustus Howell & Landes, 1936 [3]

Halichondrites, sometimes mis-spelt Halicondrites [4] 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. [5]

Contents

Taxonomy and species

The genus Halichondrites was erected by John William Dawson in 1889, who described the species Halichondrites confusus from the Ordovician of Quebec at Little Métis.

In 1920, Charles Doolittle Walcott, considering H. confusus to be inadequately described, himself described Halichondrites elissa from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale, placing it as the type species of the genus. [2]

In 1936, Howell & Landes described and provisionally placed in the genus two further species from the Lower Ordovician of Wisconsin, Halichondrites? actiniformis and Halichondrites? robustus. [3]

Another species, "Halichondrites graphitiferus", was described by George Frederick Matthew in 1890 from the Precambrian of Saint John, New Brunswick. However, the organic nature of this species has been questioned; according to Miller (1987), who examined the holotype, the "spicules" described by Matthew are more likely a combination of scratches and cleavage on graphite. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

Vauxia is an extinct genus of demosponge that had a distinctive branching mode of growth. Each branch consisted of a network of strands. Vauxia also had a skeleton of spongin common to modern day sponges. Much like Choia and other sponges, Vauxia fed by extracting nutrients from the water.

<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>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.

<i>Eldonia</i> Extinct genus of soft-bodied animals

Eldonia is an extinct soft-bodied cambroernid animal of unknown affinity, best known from the Fossil Ridge outcrops of the Burgess Shale, particularly in the 'Great Eldonia layer' in the Walcott Quarry. In addition to the 550 collected by Walcott, 224 specimens of Eldonia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.43% of the community. Species also occur in the Chengjiang biota, and in Upper Ordovician strata of Morocco.

<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.

Cambrorhytium is an enigmatic fossil genus known from the Latham Shale (California), and the Chengjiang (China) and Burgess Shale lagerstätte. 350 specimens of Cambrorhytium are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.7% of the community.

Acrothyra gregaria is a species of gregarious brachiopod known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 253 specimens of Acrothyra are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.5% of the community.

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.

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>Lingulella</i> Extinct genus of brachiopods

Lingulella is a genus of phosphatic-shelled brachiopod. It is known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale (Canada) to the Upper Ordovician Bromide Formation in North America. 346 specimens of Lingulella are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.66% of the community.

<i>Louisella</i> Extinct genus of worms

Louisella is a genus of worm known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. It was originally described by Charles Walcott in 1911 as a holothurian echinoderm, and represents a senior synonym of Miskoia, which was originally described as an annelid. 48 specimens of Louisella are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise < 0.1% of the community. It has been stated to have palaeoscolecid-like sclerites, though this is not in fact the case.

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.

<i>Peytoia nathorsti</i> Extinct species of radiodont

Peytoia nathorsti is a species of hurdiid radiodont from the Burgess Shale. It is the type species of the genus Peytoia.

References

  1. Botting, J. (2007). "'Cambrian' demosponges in the Ordovician of Morocco: Insights into the early evolutionary history of sponges". Geobios . 40 (6): 737–748. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2007.02.006.
  2. 1 2 Walcott, C. D. (1920). "Cambrian geology and paleontology IV:6—Middle Cambrian Spongiae". Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections . 67: 261–364.
  3. 1 2 3 Howell, B. F.; Landes, R. W. (1936). "New Monactinellid Sponges from the Ordovician of Wisconsin". Journal of Paleontology . 10 (1): 53–59. JSTOR   1298365.
  4. "Paleobiology Database: Halichondrites". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
  5. Caron, Jean-Bernard; Jackson, Donald A. (October 2006). "Taphonomy of the Greater Phyllopod Bed community, Burgess Shale". PALAIOS. 21 (5): 451–65. Bibcode:2006Palai..21..451C. doi:10.2110/palo.2003.P05-070R. JSTOR   20173022. S2CID   53646959.
  6. Miller, R. F. (1987). "On the inorganic character of Halichondrites graphitiferus Matthew, a supposed sponge from the Precambrian of Saint John, New Brunswick". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences . 24 (9): 1913–1915. Bibcode:1987CaJES..24.1913M. doi:10.1139/e87-180.