Takakkawia

Takakkawia
Temporal range:
Chengjiang to Middle Cambrian
Reconstruction of Takakkawia lineata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: "Porifera"
Stem group: Demospongiae
Genus: Takakkawia
Walcott, 1920
Species
  • Takakkawia lineata Walcott, 1920
  • Takakkawia sp. nov. Chen et al. 1996

Takakkawia is a genus of sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale that reached around 4 cm in height.[1] Its structure comprises four columns of multi-rayed, organic spicules (perhaps originally calcareous or siliceous) that align to form flanges.[2] The spicules form blade-like structures, ornamented with concentric rings.[2]

It was named by Walcott after the Takakkaw falls which mark the start of the trail to Fossil Ridge.[3] 1377 specimens of Takakkawia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 2.62% of the community.[4]

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 Botting, J. P.; Jin, J. (2012). "Reassessment of the problematic Burgess Shale spongeTakakkawia lineataWalcott, 1920". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 49 (9): 1087. doi:10.1139/e2012-046.
  3. J.J. Sepkoski, D. Jablonski & M. Foote (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera".
  4. 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.

External links

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