Abstract
The new calcisponges Regispongia fluegeli n. sp., and Iranospongia circulara n. gen. n. sp., are described from central Iran. These are the first heteractinid sponges reported from the Permian of the region. These wewokellid sponges are large, irregularly cylindrical forms with a distinct axial spongocoel. The calcareous spicular skeletons of both taxa have been overgrown and are recrystallized. However, the preserved skeleton of Regispongia fluegeli does include large polyactines in the main endosomal layer and small octactines and possibly other polyactine spicules in both the relatively massive dermal layer and the distinct, delicately spiculed, gastral layer. Iranospongia is characterized by a discontinuous ring of vertical exhalant canals interior to the dense dermal layer, and by an interior skeleton net that includes common coarse vertical fibers. Individual spicules in Iranospongia are commonly obscured, but locally some remnants of possible polyactines occur in outer parts of the skeleton.
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Acknowledgments
The field investigations were carried out within the framework of research project “Se 416/10”, supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to B. Senowbari-Daryan. Senowbari-Daryan and Hamedani thank the University of Esfahan for supporting our work on field studies. Kirsten Thompson, Department of Geology, Brigham Young University, prepared Figs. 2 and 3
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Rigby, J.K., Senowbari-Daryan, B. & Hamedani, A. First reported occurrence of wewokellid sponges (Calcarea, Heteractinida) from the Permian of central Iran. Facies 51, 516–521 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-005-0072-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-005-0072-7