Fig. 1
From: Spiculogenesis and biomineralization in early sponge animals
Vasispongia delicata Tang and Xiao, n. gen. & sp. from the Hetang Formation. a–c Carbonaceous compressions of sponge body fossils. Yellow and green arrows bracket putative osculum and spongocoel, respectively. Polygonal cracks in a are manifested as black in color. VPIGM-4699 (16-HT-T6-1-1), VPIGM-4700 (16-HT-T5-6-1), and VPIGM-4701 (16-HT-T3-77-1), respectively. d−j Demineralized spicules. d and g are magnifications of rectangles in a and f, respectively. Blue arrows in h and j point to protuberances or aborted rays. e, f VPIGM-4702 and VPIGM-4703, respectively; h–j VPIGM-4704, VPIGM-4705, and VPIGM-4706, respectively. Honeycomb-like structures (d, e, i, j) in the carbonaceous matrix are molds of framboidal pyrite. a–c are reflected light micrographs (RLM) and h is backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy (BSE-SEM) micrograph. All other images in this and other figures are secondary electron scanning electron microscopy (SE-SEM) micrographs unless otherwise noted. ic inner core, ot outer lamella
