Camptostroma Explained

Camptostroma roddyi is an extinct echinoderm from the Bonnia-Olenellus Zone the Early Cambrian Kinzers Formation near York and Lancaster, Southeastern Pennsylvania.[1] In life, it would have resembled a cupcake, with the axial skeleton forming a star pattern on the upper surface. It was originally thought, on the basis of its medusoid shape, to be a jellyfish-like organism, but the fossils themselves clearly rule out the possibility of a gelatinous body - the stereom plates are clearly preserved and possess the calcitic cleavage pattern diagnostic of echinoderms.[1] It has been placed in a class of basal echinoderms, the Edrioasteroids.[2] [3]

Other species have been described from time to time, but all have since been reassigned to other genera - and often different phyla.[3]

Notes and References

  1. J. W.. Camptostroma, an Early Cambrian Supposed Scyphozoan, Referable to Echinodermata. Journal of Paleontology. 40. 5. Durham. 1009ā€“1255. 1 September 1966 . 0022-3360. 1301996 .
  2. S. Zamora . B. Deline . J. J. . I. A. Rahman . The Cambrian Substrate Revolution and the early evolution of attachment in suspension-feeding echinoderms . Earth-Science Reviews . 2017 . 171 . 478-491 .
  3. M. K. . L.. Cotton. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Witt. 331. Horne. iā€“x+1ā€“188. 1 September 1960 . 0002-7162. 10.1177/000271626033100102. 1034497 .