First fossil sponge from Antarctica and its palaeobiogeographical significance

Laocoetis piserai n. sp. (Hexactinellida, Porifera) from the mid-Cretaceous (i.e., Albian–Cenomanian) of James Ross Island is the first record of a fossil sponge from Antarctica. This new occurrence of a formerly widespread genus was restricted to relatively deep waters on the margins of an active v...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Paleontology
Main Authors: Vodrážka, Radek, Crame, J. Alistair
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: The Paleontological Society 2011
Subjects:
Biology and Microbiology
Earth Sciences
Ross Island
Antarc*
Antarctica
James Ross Island
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13027/
Description
Summary:Laocoetis piserai n. sp. (Hexactinellida, Porifera) from the mid-Cretaceous (i.e., Albian–Cenomanian) of James Ross Island is the first record of a fossil sponge from Antarctica. This new occurrence of a formerly widespread genus was restricted to relatively deep waters on the margins of an active volcanic arc. Its occurrence in Antarctica is further evidence that the genus Laocoetis underwent a dramatic reduction in its geographic range through the Cenozoic. The only living species of the genus at the present day is Laocoetis perion from Madagascar.

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