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Taxonomy from Mindat.org. Diagnosis (Finks & Rigby 2004, p. 28): “Sack-shaped to globular or globose sponges with thin walls of principally vertical, subparallel, monaxial spicules that form tracts around circular canals of at least two sizes; gastral layer a vertical, monaxial thatch that is less perforate; skeleton with weakly developed tufts; marginalia or prostalia absent”. References: Rigby, J. K. and Collins, D. (2004). Sponges of the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale and Stephen Formations, British Columbia. Royal Ontario Museum Contributions in Science 1:1-155. Finks, R.M. & Rigby, J.K. (2004). Paleozoic Demosponges, 9–175. In KAESLER, R.C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part E, Vol. 3 (revised). Porifera (Demospongea, Hexactinellida, Heteractinida, Calcarea). 902 pp. Geological Society of America, Kansas. Wang, P.-li.; Zhao, Y.-long.; Yang, X.-lian.; Yang, R.-jun. (2005), Crumillospongia biporosa (sponge) from the early Cambrian Niutitang biota in Guizhou Province. Acta Micropalaeontologica Sinica 22(2): 196-201. GARCÍA-BELLIDO, D.C., DIES ÁLVAREZ, M.E., GÁMEZ VINTANED, J.A., LIÑÁN, E. & GOZALO, R. (2011). First report of Crumillospongia (Demospongea) from the Cambrian of Europe (Murero biota, Spain). Bulletin of Geosciences 86(3), 641–650 (5 figures, 1 table). Czech Geological Survey, Prague. ISSN 1214-1119. Zhao, Jun; Li, Yujing; Selden, Paul A.; Cong, Peiyun (2020). New occurrence of the Guanshan Lagerstätte (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) in the Kunming area, Yunnan, southwest China, with records of new taxa. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, (), 1–13.

Gangtoucunia, a member of the Guanshan fauna, is a genus of worm-like creatures originally assigned to the Archaeopriapulids for uncertain reasons. However, according to studies by Zhang et al, 2022, these are creatures with cnidarian affinity within the subphyllum Medusozoa. Emended diagnosis from Zhang et al., 2022 p. 2: "Elongated, tubular polypoid cnidarian that secreted an organophosphatic dwelling tube. The external surface of the tube is transversely annulated with dense and irregular growth lines and has a basal, discshaped holdfast. The tube is elongate with a slight, gradual proximal tapering. The polyp has a single whorl of circumoral tentacles of unknown total length. The polyp body is externally smooth. Internally, the gut is divided by numerous longitudinal septa that partition an elongate gut extending along the preserved length of the body." References: Luo H L, Hu S X, Chen L Z, et al. Early Cambrian Chengjiang Fauna from Kunming Region, China (in Chinese with English summary). Kunming: Yunnan Science and Technology Press, 1999. 129 S. X. HU, M. Y. Zhu, M. Steiner, H. L. Luo, F. C. Zhao and Q. Liu. 2010. Biodiversity and taphonomy of the Early Cambrian Guanshan biota, eastern Yunnan. Science China Earth Sciences 53(12):1765-1773 H.-L. Luo, L. Yong, S.-X. Hu, X.-P. Fu, S.-Q. Hou, X.-Y. Liu, L.-Z. Chen, F.-J. Li, J.-Y. Pang and Q. Liu. 2008. Early Cambrian Malong Fauna and Guanshan Fauna from Eastern Yunnan, China 1-134. Zhang G, Parry LA, Vinther J, Ma X. 2022 Exceptional soft tissue preservation reveals a cnidarian affinity for a Cambrian phosphatic tubicolous enigma. Proc. R. Soc. B 289: 20221623. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.1623

References: Hu S X, Zhu M Y, Steiner M, et al. Biodiversity and taphonomy of the Early Cambrian Guanshan biota, eastern Yunnan. Sci China Earth Sci, 2010, 53: 1765-1773. Luo Huilin; Fu Xiaoping; Hu Shixue; Li Yong; Hou Shuguang; You Ting; Pang Jiyuan; Liu Qi (2007): A New Arthropod,Guangweicaris Luo,Fu et Hu gen. nov. from the Early Cambrian Guanshan Fauna,Kunming,China. Acta Geologica Sinica, 2007, 81(1)：1-7.