Falospongia

Falospongia
Temporal range:
Illustration of Falospongia ramosa
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Protomonaxonida
Family: Hazeliidae
Genus: Falospongia
Rigby, 1986
Species
  • F. falata Rigby, 1986 (type)
  • F. ramosa Rigby & Collins 2004

Falospongia is a genus of sponge made up of radiating fronds, known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Its name is derived from the Latin fala ("scaffold") and spongia ("sponge"), referring to the open framework of the skeleton. It superficially resembles Haplistion but is monaxial. 5 specimens of Falospongia are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise under 0.1% of the community.