The Anji Biota: the secret history of glass sponges

Описание: Hexactinellids, or 'glass sponges', are a major group of deep-sea animal, but their history is poorly known. Upper Cretaceous rocks yield many examples that look similar to the modern groups, but before that the record is extremely sparse...

The Anji Biota (latest Ordovician) has produced a high diversity of sponges, which, astonishingly, includes many species that look very similar to modern hexactinellids. This video explores how thais transforms our understanding of their evolution, and how the modern fauna is but a relic of a relic of their former glory...

Relevant videos
Sponges introduction:    • Sponges: the essentials  
Hexactin problem:    • Sponges: the hexactin problem and its impo...  
Anji Biota:    • The Anji Biota: mass extinction, but spong...  

Papers (mostly not open access, sorry!)
Anjiplectella: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/a...
Anji rossellids: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/a...
stem-group rossellid Matteolaspongia: http://www.geology.cz/bulletin/fullte...

Presented by Joe Botting, independent palaeontologist and Honorary Research Fellow at the National Museum Wales.

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