Species Name: Astraeospongia meniscus MORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND ITS LIFE

Species Name: Astraeospongia meniscus

MORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND ITS LIFE By: LUTHFI NURUL HIDAYAH SAIFUDIN 12012041 Fossil Code

: UAS 6

Kingdom

: Animalia

Phylum

: Porifera

Class

: Hexactinellida

Order

: Hexasterospora

Family

: Astraeospongiidae

Genus

: Astraeospongia

Species

: meniscus

Species Name : Astraeospongia meniscus

GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING STUDY PROGRAM FACULTY OF EARTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG 2013

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the following for helping to make this paper possible: Mrs. Elina Sufiati for lending a reference book which help me to identify the fossil and for sharing her knowledge and experiences as a Molluscs Paleontologist; my paleontology laboratory assistant, Fariz Kustama Kadafi Loudoe and Nabilah Adani for spending this whole semester to introduce me how to differ many kind of fossil and its morphology which I never get in the class; my colleague, Setya Andini Larasati for capturing many information I have used in this paper with her camera; my friends in Geological Engineering for encouraging me to finish this paper. Thanks are due to many people who provided photographs, papers, and slides I have used in this paper. And the last but not least, my family, for bunch of motivation and forbearance, I really indebted to them.

i

TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement......................................................................................... i Table of Contents........................................................................................... ii List of Figures................................................................................................ iii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION................................................................... 1 1.1.

Background............................................................................ 1

1.2.

Point of Discussion................................................................ 1

1.3.

Purpose................................................................................... 2

1.4.

Method in Research................................................................ 2

1.5.

Writing Order......................................................................... 2

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................... 3 2.1

Fossil and fossilization........................................................... 3

2.2

Porifera................................................................................... 3 2.2.1

Morphology of porifera.............................................. 3

2.2.2

Spicule morphology................................................... 4

2.2.3

Classification of porifera............................................ 6

2.2.4

Life of Porifera........................................................... 7

CHAPTER III: RESULT AND DISCUSSION............................................. 8 3.1

General characteristic of the fossil......................................... 8

3.2

Morphology of the fossil........................................................ 9

3.3

Type of fossilization of the fossil........................................... 9

3.4

Taxonomy of Astraeospongia meniscus................................. 10

3.5

Age of Astraeospongia meniscus........................................... 10

3.6

Environmental aspect of Astraeospongia meniscus............... 10

CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION.................................................................... 11 BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................... 12 Appendix ....................................................................................................... 13 ii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Morphology of Porifera.................................................................... 4 Figure 2: Monaxons......................................................................................... 5 Figure 3: Triaxons............................................................................................ 5 Figure 4: Tetraxons.......................................................................................... 5 Figure 5: Desmas............................................................................................. 5 Figure 6: Ventral side....................................................................................... 8 Figure 7: Peripheral side.................................................................................. 8 Figure 8: Spicule.............................................................................................. 9

iii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Fossils are all remaining life evidence which naturally preserved in rock in more than thousand years. Fossils can determine the environment and climate in the past time when it was living. Fossils also can be used to divide the stratighraphy and to identify the evolution if it was really exist. There are many other advantages that can be started with fossil discovery. A specific fossil can determine specific ecological aspect because each organism has its own parameter of suitable environment, so the fossil must be identified first to classify it into the right taxonomy. The living body had done a lot of process before it become fossil. The morphology of the fossil might be lost or became invisible during this process. The hard part is commonly found today, but not all organism are made from hard skeletal which can be preserved completely. It is not easy to recognize an organism from its incomplete morphology, but it is possible. Each species has its own characteristic so that it can be distinguished from other species. Based on this statement, with the remaining part of an organism preserved as fossil, this paper will explain a basic way to determine that the fossil is classified as Astraeospongia meniscus and its bio-ecological aspect. 1.2 Point of Discussion These are some point which will be discussed in this paper: 1. What are the general characteristic of the fossil? 2. What is the morphology which existed in the fossil? 3. What type of fossilization is occurred in the fossil? 4. What is the taxonomy of Astraeospongia meniscus? 5. What age did Astraeospongia meniscus live? 6. How is the environmental aspect in which Astraeospongia meniscus live?

1

2 1.3 Purpose Based on the point of discussion, these are purpose which will be achieved in this paper: 1. To determine general characteristic of the fossil 2. To determine morphology of the fossil 3. To determine the type of fossilization of the fossil 4. To determine the taxonomy of Astraeospongia meniscus 5. To identify the age when Astraeospongia meniscus live 6. To identify the environmental aspect of Astraeospongia meniscus 1.4 Method in Research To achieve the purpose of this paper, there are some method applied to collecting the data a. Observation Data are obtained by observation in paleontology laboratory. Dimensions of fossil are directly measured. b. Literature Review Beside doing observation, data are collected trough literature. Literature gathered from books, journal, and articles on the internet. 1.5 Writing Order Chapter I explained about the background, focus of discussion, purpose, method in research, and writing order which become basic of this paper writing. Chapter II focused on literature review, included fossil and fossilization, morphology of porifera, taxonomy of porifera, and life aspects of porifera. Chapter III determined the conclusion of this paper.

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Fossil and fossilization Fossils are understood all remains or traces of plants and animals which have lived before the beginning of the present geological period, and have become preserved in the rocks (Zittel, 1900). Fossils are typically the hard parts – shells, bones, woody tissues – of previously existing plants and animals (Benton, 2009). To be a fossil, a living body had several process. Fossilization by complete mineralization is petrifaction. In this process foreign substances soluble in water (chiefly calcium carbonate and silica, more rarely pyrites, iron oxyhydrate, and other salts) impregnate and completely fill all original cavities as well as those formed subsequently by decay (Zittel, 1900). Permineralization is near-complete replacement of the tissues of an organism by mineral material (Benton,2009). Wherever the space originally occupied by soft parts, as, for example, the interior of a shell or other hollow body, becomes filled up with infiltrating ooze, while the shell itself or the enclosing wall decays, there is produced a cast of the interior, which in most cases (especially where the shell is thin, as in ammonites, brachiopods, certain mollusks, and crustaceans) preserves an exact copy of the original form, and is susceptible of as accurate determination as the real object. Fossils are often distorted by mechanical agencies, such as faulting, folding, crushing, and other deformations of the country rock. Such cases require especial attention, and due caution must be observed in their determination (Zittel, 1900). 2.2 Porifera 2.2.1 Morphology of Porifera It is sac-shaped with a central cavity which opens externally at the top through the osculum . The sponge is densely perforated by ostia, small holes marking the entrances to minute canals through which pass 3

4 the inhalant currents (Benton, 2009). The pores communicate by means of fine incurrent canals with sub-dermal ciliated chambers, from which larger excurrent canals conduct the water and sponge-food through the body, and generally open into a wide, exhalent opening called the cloaca or paragaster. into the water column (Zittel,1900). The body consists of a single layer of pavement cells forming the ectoderm, a likewise single layer of collared epithelial cells constituting the entoderm, and a strongly developed mesoderm tissue, which latter comprises the soft parts (including all the organs, muscles, sexual elements, and nerves), and almost invariably secretes a hard skeleton. The latter may consist of horny sponge-fibres, or of regularly disposed silicious or calcareous skeletal elements (Zittel, 1900).

Figure 1. Morphology of Porifera 2.2.2 Spicule morphology Commonly the spongin skeletons decay and unfused spicular skeletons disintegrate shortly after death leaving only a selection of hard parts, such as spicules. Spicule morphology is a fundamental to identify the taxonomy of poriferea (Benton, 2009). There are five basic types of spicule have been recognized.

5 1. Monaxons Single axial forms that may grow in one (monactinal) or two (diactinal) directions.

Figure 2. Moonaxons 2. Tetraxons(hexactines) Four-rayed forms that may have axes of equal length.

Figure 3. Tetraxons 3. Triaxons Six-rayed forms that form regular networks within the Hexactinellida or glass sponges.

Figure 4. Triaxons 4. Desmas Irregular-shaped forms with ends modifi ed to articulate with one another.

Figure 5. Desmas 5. Polyaxons Multirayed forms including spherical or star-shaped spicules.

6 2.2.3 Classification of Porifera The phylum Porifera was traditionally subdivided into four classes, the Demospongea, Calcarea, Sclerospongea and Hexactinellida, based mainly on the composition of the skeleton and type of spicules. However, the sclerosponges, with some additional calcareous skeletons, are now placed within the Demospongea. (Benton, 2009) Class Calcarea Skeleton composed of calcareous spicules of three-rayed, fourrayed or uniaxial types. Order Calcinea The first spicules to be secreted are triactines. And have coeloblastula larvae. Order Calcaronia Class Hexactinellida Silicious sponges with six-rayed skeletal elements. Order Amphidiscophora Containing amphidiscs in the absence of hexasters. Order Hexasterophora Usually fused into a rigid skeletal framework, in which case sponge may assume large and elaborate morphology. Class Demospongiae The skeleton is made of spicules of silica, but these may be entirely replaced in some species by sponging fibers. Order Homoscleromorpha Usually encrusting sponges, vivparous on reproduction. Order Tetractinomorpha Has parenchymella or "creeping blastula" larvae and oviparous on reproduction. Order Ceractinomorpha These sponges are frequently branching but may be encrusting, massive lobate fan-shaped or cuplike.

7 2.2.4 Life of Porifera Sponges are part of the sedentary benthos, with large exhalant openings, communicating upwards with the water column. When not resting, the sponge sucks in water through its upward-facing ostia, forming inhalant currents; material is then pumped out of the animal though the exhalant opening (Benton,2009). Sponges are invariably sessile in habit, being attached either by means of a stem or a bundle of anchoring spicules, or they may be simply encrusting at the base (Zittel, 1900). The group is entirely aquatic, living attached in a range of environments from the abyssal depths of oceans to the moist barks of trees in the humid tropics. Most Paleozoic and early Mesozoic forms have been collected from shallow-water environments, although like many other groups they expanded into deepwater environments during the Ordovician where they remained an important part of the benthos (Benton,2009). Reproduction is either sexual and asexual. In the first process the fertilised ova complete tolerably regular segmentation, develop into a gastrula, pass out through the osculum, and attach themselves to some foreign object. Asexual reproduction takes place by budding, the young buds remaining attached to the parent individual, and thus giving rise to colonies (Zittel, 1900). In silicious sponges also the skeletal elements are rarely preserved unaltered as a rule the originally colloidal silica becomes crystalline, or is dissolved and carried away. The cavities thus formed may subsequently become tilled with infiltrating quartz, limonite, or most commonly with carbonate of lime. In this manner the skeletons of fossil silicious sponges are converted into calcite, and contrariwise, spicules that were originally calcareous may become silicified. Hence the distinction between silicious and calcareous sponges in the fossil state depends entirely upon morphological characters, and not at all upon the chemical composition of the preserved parts (Zittel, 1900).

CHAPTER III RESULT AND DISCUSSION 3.1 General characteristic of the fossil The fossil is bowl shaped, upper plan is flat and the lower is convex. It is 7 cm in diameter and 2.5 cm in thick. The color of fossil is greenish gray. In the main body of fossil, there are gray star shaped form scattered through the main body. It is six-rayed and each branch has 3-6 mm length.

Figure 6. Ventral side

Figure 7. Peripheral side

8

9 3.2 Morphology of the fossil The only morphology preserved and visible in the fossil is the six rayed star-like form. This form can be identified as spicule which is skeletal part secreted by porifera. From the number of ray existed, it can be classified as hexactinellida. Each ray has equal length (about 3-6 mm) and massive which has no specific characteristic like line, thread, or distorted. Based on the characteristics, the fossil can be determined as Astraeospongia meniscus.

Figure 8. Spicule 3.3 Type of fossilization of the fossil There is mineral and sediment surrounding the spicule. It is fine grained, grayish, and can be determined as calcite sediment. From the morphological identification, the fossil is classified as hexactinellida, an order of siliceous porifera, so the porifera should be composed from silica. According to the existence of mineral and sediment which does not compose the body of fossil beside the hard part of the fossil itself, the fossil has undergone permineralization. Permineralization can occur when the body part or cavities of organism is replaced or filled by a specific mineral, the mineral can be calcite, silica, or clay.

10 3.4 Taxonomy of Astraeospongia meniscus Kingdom

: Animalia

Phylum

: Porifera

Class

: Hexactinellida

Order

: Heteractinellidae

Family

: Astraeospongiidae

Genus

: Astraeospongia

Species

: meniscus

Species Name

: Astraeospongia meniscus

3.5 Age of Astraeospongia meniscus Astraeospongia meniscus can be found in Silurian age, it is about 435295 million years ago. Porifera are widely disributed in marine strata in this age. 3.1 Environmental aspect of Astraeospongia meniscus Astraeospongia meniscus is a species included in phylum Porifera, class hexactinellida, order hexasterosphora, family astreospongiidae. Like other species in the same class, Astraeospongia meniscus is sessile, it lives on stable soft bottoms. The meniscus shape of the basal skeleton reflects the adaptation to soft bottoms. The formation of the basal skeleton is by altered spicules. Astraeospongia did not store any resting cell. The survival strategy by storing resting cells is a special method of long term survival in the extreme environments of cryptic niches. So it can be identified that this species live in open marine shallow water condition.

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION From the explanation above, it can be concluded that the fossil is Astraeospongia meniscus based on the general characteristic such as bowl shape which has 6 cm in diameter and spicule with length ranged from 3 to 6 mm. The spicule is the only morphological aspect which represent that this fossil is porifera. This fossil has undergone permineralization to become fossilized. This fossil is classified in phylum porifera, class hexactinellida, order hexasterophora, family astraeospongiidae, genus astraeospongia, and named as Astraeospongia meniscus. The species are sessile and was live in Silurian age in open marine shallow water environment.

11

BIBLIOGRAPHY Benton, Michael J. 2009. Introduction to Paleobiology and Fossil Records. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Moore, Raymond C. 1952. Invertebrate Fossils. New York:Mc-Graw-Hill Book Company. Moore, Raymond C. 1979. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology.Kansas: The University of Kansas. Zittel, Karl A.Von. 1900. Texbook of Palaeontology. London: Macmillan and co. Mehl, Dorte. 1996. Observations on Astraeospongium meniscum (Roemer, 1848) from the Silurian of western Tennessee: Constructional morphology and palaeobiology of the Astraeospongiidae (Calcarea, Heteractinellidae). Berliner geowiss. Abh. Richardson, Eugene S. October 1950. A Middle Devonian Octactinellid Sponge From New York. Fieldiana Geology vol. 10. Chicago Natural History Museum. http://kord.kober.us/hexactinellida/amphidiscophora/ (December 1st, 9:25 am) http://palaeos.com/metazoa/porifera/porifera.htm (November 27th, 2:59 am) http://sunny.moorparkcollege.edu/~econnolly/F09L9Protozoa.htm (December 1st, 8:21 am) http://species-identification.org/species.php? species_group=sponges&id=15&menuentry=groepen (December 1st, 8:56 am) http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/porifera/hexactinellidafr.html (November 27th, 2:59 am)

12

Appendix

13