Upper Permian inozoid, demospongid, and hexactinellid sponges from Djebel Tebaga, Tunisia

Abstract

Fossil sponge faunas from Upper Permian reefs and inter-reef rocks in the Djebel Tebaga area of southern Tunisia include the most varied and abundant late Paleozoic inozoid fauna known. The inozoid sponge part of that assemblage, plus minor demosponge and hexactinellid sponges, are described from the numerous localities and collections. The Djebel Tebaga area of southern Tunisia includes the only outcrop of marine Upper Permian strata in the entire African continent and was in the western part of the classic Tethyan belt. Seventy species are described of which 54 are new. Also included in the description are new examples of the demosponge Heliospongia finksi Termier and Termier, 1977a, and a fragmental brachiospongid hexactinellid. Possible relationships of the Inozoida with the Paleozoic Heteractinida and Sphinctozoa are discussed. The latter are possible stem-groups from which the Inozoida may have developed during the Carboniferous. -from Authors