Colonial Leptophragmidae (Porifera, Hexactinellida) from the Lower Santonian of the Volga region

Abstract

Study of the skeletal morphology of a new representative of the Leptophragmidae family, with no suboscula in its structure, provides support for the earlierspecified regularities in generation of Hexactinellida modular forms. Good preservationstate of a majorcolony has made it possible to specify the aspects of paleoecology and taphonomy in the later representatives of the Middle Coniacian – Early Santonian succession of siliceous sponges.