Id like your opinion on this one....

[Arizona Chris]

Hi  All,

 

This is one of a kind - we found only ONE of these in 250 pounds of Permian limestone that we reduced in the acid bath over the past few months.  Its a lovely thing, I think its a stellate miniature ins branching sponge, but Id like your opinion.  Its hollow inside the main tube, and no pits or chambers like a bryozoan.  Anyone seen a tiny sponge like this?  Here is top and bottom shots:  (20 layer stacks!)

 

 

Your opinion is appreciated! 

[coled18]

Fulgurite perhaps? 

[izak_]

I think sponge.

[coled18]

I haven't seen any sponges like this before, but I can see it being one. I usually search the late Pennsylvanian and Permian parts of Eastern Kansas, and I would be interested to see if someone could put a good ID to this one. 

[Herb]

some Pennsylvanian sponges

[Tidgy's Dad]

I say sponge, too. 

[abyssunder]

Looks like sponge to me, also.

[Arizona Chris]

Thanks Everyone!  Its tiny but very special!

[DPS Ammonite]

Sponge seems most likely. My Ft. Apache Fm. sponge in collections is also hollow and branching. Does your sponge have a mesh look on the surface like the photo of mine?

[Arizona Chris]

too tiny to see mesh!

[doushantuo]

perhaps an amphiporid?

[Arizona Chris]

Wow doushantuo, I had to look that one up!  What I found seems to indicate that an amphiporoid is a type of stromatoporoid - and most appear as non branching tubes or encrustations.  I think micro sponge seems to still fit the best.  But I will continue to examine more information on amphiporoids!  Great suggestion!