Neuropora stellata

Figure 1 - Neuropora stellata on Stichophyma multiformis.
Teutonia South, Misburg, stobaei/basiplana zone.

Figure 2 - Neuropora stellata on Stichophyma multiformis.
Teutonia South, Misburg, stobaei/basiplana zone.

Figure 3 - Neuropora stellata on Stichophyma multiformis.
Teutonia South, Misburg, stobaei/basiplana zone.

Synonyms:

none

Occurence:

Teutonia South, Misburg, stobaei/basiplana zone (Upper Campanian). Very rare (1 specimen).

Neuropora stellata was described as a new species by Brünnich Nielsen (1929) from the Belemnitella mucronata zone (i.e. Upper Campanian) of the White Chalk of Stevns Klint in Denmark.

Neuropora stellata is reported here from Misburg for the first time. The species seems to be rare in the Campanian marls of the Hannover region, but the sponge is small and may have been overlooked in the past.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show different views of the specimen from Misburg.

The specimen is thorn-like, with a strong pointed tip, and is attached to a larger individual of the lithistid sponge Stichophyma multiformis. Its nearly circular base has a diameter of 6.5 mm. The specimen shows nicely the short strings without pores, issuing in all directions, as describend by Nielsen (1929). The spicules resemle those of Porosphaera globularis (as reported by Nielsen) and are visible only in the basal part of the sponge while the strings or ribs are solid calcite.

Figure 4 - Neuropora stellata.
Calcitic skeleton (grey) and pores (white).

Figure 4 is a close-up view of the basal part of the sponge. The scleres show numerous cleavage planes (not well visible in the photograph).