Siphonostomites Explained

Siphonostomites hesionoides is a species of polychaete annelid known only from subtidal lagoon deposits from the Early Eocene of Monte Bolca, Verona, Italy.^{[1] [2]}

It has a fusiform body with chaetae along its length, decreasing in length towards front and rear.

History of classification

Originally described as an alga, 19th century palaeontologists lumped Siphonostomites into wastebasket 'worm' taxa such as Nereites or Eunicites. Roverto (1904) formally established the separate genus, without illustration; a full description was not provided until Alessandrello's 1990 work.^[3]

It was considered in the 1962 Treatise to belong to the Flabelligeridae (the current name for Chloraemidae),^[4] though this designation is treated with some scepticism by modern experts.

Notes and References

1. 2400774. Decay and Preservation of Polychaetes: Taphonomic Thresholds in Soft-Bodied Organisms. Briggs. Derek E. G.. Kear. Amanda J.. Paleobiology. 1993. 19. 1. 107–135. 10.1017/S0094837300012343.
2. Alessandrello, A. 1990. A revision of the annelids from the Eocene of Monte Bolca (Verona, Italy). Studi e richerche sui giacimenti terziari di Bolca, VI, Miscellanea Paleontologica, MCSN Verona 1990:175-214.
3. Book: https://www.valdalponeheritage.it/ATS_Documenti/2014_Capitolo%207.%20Minor%20fauna.pdf. Rendiconti della Società Paleontologica Italiana . 4. 2014 . 73–87. Excursion guidebook CBEP 2014-EPPC 2014-EAVP 2014-Taphos 2014 Conferences: The Bolca Fossil-Lagerstätten: A window into the Eocene World. 7. The Pesciara-Monte Postale Fossil-Lagerstätte: 4. The “minor fauna” of the laminites. C.A. Papazzoni . L. Giusberti . G. Carnevale . G. Roghi . D. Bassi . R. Zorzin.
4. Book: Treatise on Invertebrate . Geological Society of America . Howell, B F . Moore, R. C. . 1962 . 144–177.