A varied Middle Ordovician sponge spicule assemblage from western Newfoundland

Citation
Xg. Zhang et Br. Pratt, A varied Middle Ordovician sponge spicule assemblage from western Newfoundland, J PALEONTOL, 74(3), 2000, pp. 386-393
Citations number
44
Categorie Soggetti
Earth Sciences
Journal title
JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY
ISSN journal
00223360 → ACNP
Volume
74
Issue
3
Year of publication
2000
Pages
386 - 393
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-3360(200005)74:3<386:AVMOSS>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
Abundant and morphologically fairly diverse siliceous sponge spicules of Da rriwilian (Middle Ordovician) age were collected from the Table Cove Format ion of Port au Port Peninsula, western Newfoundland. Without co-occurrence of appropriate sponge body fossils, it is difficult to refer these disartic ulated sponge spicules to existing or to new taxa. However, representatives of demosponges and hexactinellids are recognized. While marked differences are noted between older and younger lithistid dendroclones, for example, s picule form in these Middle Ordovician specimens is similar overall to prev iously known assemblages of various ages, demonstrating the morphologically conservative nature of the spicular skeleton.