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Genus of prehistoric sponge From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Helicolocellus cantori is an extinct sponge from the late Ediacaran, found in the Dengying Formation of South China and possibly related to the Hexactinellida. If confirmed, H.cantori would be the oldest crown group sponge known as of 2025.[1]
| Helicolocellus Temporal range: Ediacaran | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reconstruction of Helicolocellus cantori. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Genus: | †Helicolocellus Wang et al., 2024 |
| Species: | †H. cantori |
| Binomial name | |
| †Helicolocellus cantori Wang et al., 2024 | |
The holotype fossil of Helicolocellus was found in the Dengying Formation of South China in 2019, and formally described in 2024.[1]
The generic name Helicolocellus derives from the Greek words helix, to mean twisted; and locellus, to mean small box. The specific name cantori derives from the surname of Georg Cantor, a Mathematician who is known for the Cantor set which describes regular patterning, reminiscent of what is seen in the fossil material.[1]
Helicolocellus cantori is a possible hexactinelliid sponge that grew up to around 400 mm (15.7 in) in height, with a conical body made up of small, intricate boxes, which themselves contain smaller boxes. With both the large size of the fossil material, and a “boxy” appearance, it has been proposed that Helicolocellus is a glass sponge.[1]
Unlike most sponges of today, it would have had a soft body, and possibly non-mineralised spicules, which are used by modern sponges to provide structural support, and as such most researchers look for these in fossil material of possible sponges. However, the authors of the paper describing Helicolocellus put this method into doubt, as earlier softer sponges would most likely not preserve properly, let alone their spicules.[1][2]
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