| Diagoniella | |
|---|---|
| |
| A 3D model of Diagoniella hindei | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Hexactinellida |
| Order: | †Reticulosa |
| Genus: | †Diagoniella |
| Species: | †D. hindei |
| Binomial name | |
| Diagoniella hindei Walcott, 1920 | |
Diagoniella is a genus of sponge known from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. 128 specimens of Diagoniella are known from the Greater Phyllopod bed, where they comprise 0.24% of the community.
The specific epithet hindei is a tribute to English paleontologist George Jennings Hinde.
Description[]
Diagonella were attached to the sea floor by long spines at the base of the sponge. These spines are rarely preserved. The six-rayed spicules were not fused into a net, so were relatively fragile as a result. These sponges are very rare in the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, and sponges are relatively uncommon in the fossil record.[1]