Detailed Solnhofen Fossil Sponge

Fossil Description: This is a soft sponge of the genus Codites that originally was thought to be a brown alga and named Phyllothalus. The many pores show it to be a true sponge, a fact that was overlooked until relatively recently. Sponges are not commonly found in the Solhofen Plattekalk except as floating aggregations. This one looks more likely to have been rooted in the substrate, making its living in the more traditional lifestyle. This specimen shows that the diversity of material coming from the Solnhofen deposits contains more than the flashy vertebrates like the iconic Archaeopteryx that commonly come to mind. This one is well-displayed on its matrix, making for a showy specimen.

Also see: Solnhofen Lagerstätte Solnhofen Fossils