• A late-Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal

    From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri Jun 14 14:10:17 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07520-y (not open access)

    A late-Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal

    Xiaopeng Wang, Alexander G. Liu, Zhe Chen, Chengxi Wu, Yarong Liu,
    Bin Wan, Ke Pang, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan & Shuhai Xiao

    Abstract

    Sponges are the most basal metazoan phylum1 and may have played
    important roles in modulating the redox architecture of Neoproterozoic oceans2. Although molecular clocks predict that sponges diverged in the Neoproterozoic era3,4, their fossils have not been unequivocally
    demonstrated before the Cambrian period5,6,7,8, possibly because
    Precambrian sponges were aspiculate and non-biomineralized9. Here we
    describe a late-Ediacaran fossil, Helicolocellus cantori gen. et sp.
    nov., from the Dengying Formation (around 551rCo539rCemillion years ago) of South China. This fossil is reconstructed as a large, stemmed benthic
    organism with a goblet-shaped body more than 0.4rCem in height, with a
    body wall consisting of at least three orders of nested grids defined by quadrate fields, resembling a Cantor dust fractal pattern. The resulting lattice is interpreted as an organic skeleton comprising orthogonally
    arranged cruciform elements, architecturally similar to some
    hexactinellid sponges, although the latter are built with biomineralized spicules. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis resolves H. cantori as a crown-group sponge related to the Hexactinellida. H. cantori confirms
    that sponges diverged and existed in the Precambrian as
    non-biomineralizing animals with an organic skeleton. Considering that siliceous biomineralization may have evolved independently among sponge classes10,11,12,13, we question the validity of biomineralized spicules
    as a necessary criterion for the identification of Precambrian sponge
    fossils.

    Very interesting find. I'm trying to find a PDF.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri Jun 14 15:21:02 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 6/14/24 2:10 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07520-y (not open access)

    A late-Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal

    -a-a-a Xiaopeng Wang, Alexander G. Liu, Zhe Chen, Chengxi Wu, Yarong Liu, Bin Wan, Ke Pang, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan & Shuhai Xiao

    Abstract

    Sponges are the most basal metazoan phylum1 and may have played
    important roles in modulating the redox architecture of Neoproterozoic oceans2. Although molecular clocks predict that sponges diverged in the Neoproterozoic era3,4, their fossils have not been unequivocally demonstrated before the Cambrian period5,6,7,8, possibly because
    Precambrian sponges were aspiculate and non-biomineralized9. Here we describe a late-Ediacaran fossil, Helicolocellus cantori gen. et sp.
    nov., from the Dengying Formation (around 551rCo539rCemillion years ago) of South China. This fossil is reconstructed as a large, stemmed benthic organism with a goblet-shaped body more than 0.4rCem in height, with a
    body wall consisting of at least three orders of nested grids defined by quadrate fields, resembling a Cantor dust fractal pattern. The resulting lattice is interpreted as an organic skeleton comprising orthogonally arranged cruciform elements, architecturally similar to some
    hexactinellid sponges, although the latter are built with biomineralized spicules. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis resolves H. cantori as a crown-group sponge related to the Hexactinellida. H. cantori confirms
    that sponges diverged and existed in the Precambrian as
    non-biomineralizing animals with an organic skeleton. Considering that siliceous biomineralization may have evolved independently among sponge classes10,11,12,13, we question the validity of biomineralized spicules
    as a necessary criterion for the identification of Precambrian sponge fossils.

    Very interesting find.-a I'm trying to find a PDF.
    Possible alarm bell: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Phylogenetic-position-of-Helicolocellus-cantori-gen-et-sp-nov-All-taxa-coded-in-the_fig4_381194576
    presents a figure indicating a close relationship between Cnidaria and Ctenophora, which no longer considered valid.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri Jun 14 15:50:44 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 6/14/24 3:21 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 6/14/24 2:10 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07520-y (not open access)

    A late-Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal

    -a-a-a-a Xiaopeng Wang, Alexander G. Liu, Zhe Chen, Chengxi Wu, Yarong
    Liu, Bin Wan, Ke Pang, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan & Shuhai Xiao

    Abstract

    Sponges are the most basal metazoan phylum1 and may have played
    important roles in modulating the redox architecture of Neoproterozoic
    oceans2. Although molecular clocks predict that sponges diverged in
    the Neoproterozoic era3,4, their fossils have not been unequivocally
    demonstrated before the Cambrian period5,6,7,8, possibly because
    Precambrian sponges were aspiculate and non-biomineralized9. Here we
    describe a late-Ediacaran fossil, Helicolocellus cantori gen. et sp.
    nov., from the Dengying Formation (around 551rCo539rCemillion years ago)
    of South China. This fossil is reconstructed as a large, stemmed
    benthic organism with a goblet-shaped body more than 0.4rCem in height,
    with a body wall consisting of at least three orders of nested grids
    defined by quadrate fields, resembling a Cantor dust fractal pattern.
    The resulting lattice is interpreted as an organic skeleton comprising
    orthogonally arranged cruciform elements, architecturally similar to
    some hexactinellid sponges, although the latter are built with
    biomineralized spicules. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis resolves H.
    cantori as a crown-group sponge related to the Hexactinellida. H.
    cantori confirms that sponges diverged and existed in the Precambrian
    as non-biomineralizing animals with an organic skeleton. Considering
    that siliceous biomineralization may have evolved independently among
    sponge classes10,11,12,13, we question the validity of biomineralized
    spicules as a necessary criterion for the identification of
    Precambrian sponge fossils.

    Very interesting find.-a I'm trying to find a PDF.
    Possible alarm bell: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Phylogenetic-position-of-Helicolocellus-cantori-gen-et-sp-nov-All-taxa-coded-in-the_fig4_381194576 presents a figure indicating a close relationship between Cnidaria and Ctenophora, which no longer considered valid.

    Be not afraid. The bootstrap value for that node is only 57%,
    essentially meaningless.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri Jun 14 15:52:03 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 6/14/24 3:50 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 6/14/24 3:21 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 6/14/24 2:10 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07520-y (not open access)

    A late-Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal

    -a-a-a-a Xiaopeng Wang, Alexander G. Liu, Zhe Chen, Chengxi Wu, Yarong
    Liu, Bin Wan, Ke Pang, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan & Shuhai Xiao

    Abstract

    Sponges are the most basal metazoan phylum1 and may have played
    important roles in modulating the redox architecture of
    Neoproterozoic oceans2. Although molecular clocks predict that
    sponges diverged in the Neoproterozoic era3,4, their fossils have not
    been unequivocally demonstrated before the Cambrian period5,6,7,8,
    possibly because Precambrian sponges were aspiculate and
    non-biomineralized9. Here we describe a late-Ediacaran fossil,
    Helicolocellus cantori gen. et sp. nov., from the Dengying Formation
    (around 551rCo539rCemillion years ago) of South China. This fossil is
    reconstructed as a large, stemmed benthic organism with a
    goblet-shaped body more than 0.4rCem in height, with a body wall
    consisting of at least three orders of nested grids defined by
    quadrate fields, resembling a Cantor dust fractal pattern. The
    resulting lattice is interpreted as an organic skeleton comprising
    orthogonally arranged cruciform elements, architecturally similar to
    some hexactinellid sponges, although the latter are built with
    biomineralized spicules. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis resolves H.
    cantori as a crown-group sponge related to the Hexactinellida. H.
    cantori confirms that sponges diverged and existed in the Precambrian
    as non-biomineralizing animals with an organic skeleton. Considering
    that siliceous biomineralization may have evolved independently among
    sponge classes10,11,12,13, we question the validity of biomineralized
    spicules as a necessary criterion for the identification of
    Precambrian sponge fossils.

    Very interesting find.-a I'm trying to find a PDF.
    Possible alarm bell:
    https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Phylogenetic-position-of-Helicolocellus-cantori-gen-et-sp-nov-All-taxa-coded-in-the_fig4_381194576 presents a figure indicating a close relationship between Cnidaria and Ctenophora, which no longer considered valid.

    Be not afraid. The bootstrap value for that node is only 57%,
    essentially meaningless.

    Oops, sorry. Those are Bayesian posteriors, even more meaningless.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri Jun 14 16:43:25 2024
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 6/14/24 3:52 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 6/14/24 3:50 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 6/14/24 3:21 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 6/14/24 2:10 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07520-y (not open access)

    A late-Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal

    -a-a-a-a Xiaopeng Wang, Alexander G. Liu, Zhe Chen, Chengxi Wu, Yarong >>>> Liu, Bin Wan, Ke Pang, Chuanming Zhou, Xunlai Yuan & Shuhai Xiao

    Abstract

    Sponges are the most basal metazoan phylum1 and may have played
    important roles in modulating the redox architecture of
    Neoproterozoic oceans2. Although molecular clocks predict that
    sponges diverged in the Neoproterozoic era3,4, their fossils have
    not been unequivocally demonstrated before the Cambrian
    period5,6,7,8, possibly because Precambrian sponges were aspiculate
    and non-biomineralized9. Here we describe a late-Ediacaran fossil,
    Helicolocellus cantori gen. et sp. nov., from the Dengying Formation
    (around 551rCo539rCemillion years ago) of South China. This fossil is >>>> reconstructed as a large, stemmed benthic organism with a
    goblet-shaped body more than 0.4rCem in height, with a body wall
    consisting of at least three orders of nested grids defined by
    quadrate fields, resembling a Cantor dust fractal pattern. The
    resulting lattice is interpreted as an organic skeleton comprising
    orthogonally arranged cruciform elements, architecturally similar to
    some hexactinellid sponges, although the latter are built with
    biomineralized spicules. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis resolves
    H. cantori as a crown-group sponge related to the Hexactinellida. H.
    cantori confirms that sponges diverged and existed in the
    Precambrian as non-biomineralizing animals with an organic skeleton.
    Considering that siliceous biomineralization may have evolved
    independently among sponge classes10,11,12,13, we question the
    validity of biomineralized spicules as a necessary criterion for the
    identification of Precambrian sponge fossils.

    Very interesting find.-a I'm trying to find a PDF.
    Possible alarm bell:
    https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Phylogenetic-position-of-Helicolocellus-cantori-gen-et-sp-nov-All-taxa-coded-in-the_fig4_381194576 presents a figure indicating a close relationship between Cnidaria and Ctenophora, which no longer considered valid.

    Be not afraid. The bootstrap value for that node is only 57%,
    essentially meaningless.

    Oops, sorry. Those are Bayesian posteriors, even more meaningless.
    Glad to hear it. It doesn't matter much to the main subject anyway.
    I've requested a PDF through Research Gate.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2