A New Sponge from the Marjum Formation of Utah Documents the Cambrian Origin of the Hexactinellid Body Plan

Overview

Journal R Soc Open Sci

Specialty Science

Date 2024 Sep 19

PMID 39295920

Authors

Lucas Del Mouro

Rudy Lerosey-Aubril

Joseph Botting

Robert Coleman

Robert R Gaines

Jacob Skabelund

James C Weaver

Javier Ortega-Hernandez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Modern poriferans are classified into four classes-Calcarea, Demospongiae, Hexactinellida and Homoscleromorpha-the recognition of which in fossil specimens almost exclusively relies on spicule morphology and arrangement. Early fossil representatives of the phylum Porifera are morphologically diverse, and many of them problematically display characteristics that are incompatible with the classification scheme developed for modern taxa. Critically, hexactine spicules-a diagnostic feature of hexactinellids among modern taxa-are found in various Cambrian and Ordovician taxa that cannot be accommodated within the hexactinellid body plan. Here we describe a new poriferan from the Drumian Marjum Formation of Utah, gen. et sp. nov., which exhibits a unique combination of complex anatomical features for a Cambrian form, including a syconoid-like organization, a thick body wall, and a multi-layered hexactin-based skeleton. The hexactinellid-like body wall architecture of this new species supports a Cambrian origin of the hexactinellid body plan and provides valuable insights into character evolution in early glass sponges.

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