Spartobranchus tenuis

Spartobranchus tenuis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Hemichordata
Class:	Enteropneusta
Genus:	Spartobranchus
Species:	S. tenuis
Binomial name
	Spartobranchus tenuis;

Spartobranchus tenuis is an extinct species of acorn worms (Enteropneusta). It existed in the Middle Cambrian (505 million years ago). Petrified mark animals were found in British Columbia, Canada in the Burgess Shale formation. It is similar to the modern representatives of the family Harrimaniidae, distinguished by branching fiber tubes. It is a believed predecessor of Pterobranchia, but this species is intermediate between these two classes. Studies show that these tubes were lost in the line leading to modern acorn worm, but remained in the extinct graptolites. However recently Antarctic torquatorids have been found that also make tubes.^[1]

^ Halanych, Kenneth M.; Cannon, Johanna T.; Mahon, Andrew R.; Swalla, Billie J.; Smith, Craig R. (7 November 2013). "Modern Antarctic acorn worms form tubes". Nature Communications. 4 (1): 2738. Bibcode:2013NatCo...4.2738H. doi:10.1038/ncomms3738. PMID 24201563. S2CID 205320979.

[1] Halanych, Kenneth M.; Cannon, Johanna T.; Mahon, Andrew R.; Swalla, Billie J.; Smith, Craig R. (7 November 2013). "Modern Antarctic acorn worms form tubes". Nature Communications. 4 (1): 2738. Bibcode:2013NatCo...4.2738H. doi:10.1038/ncomms3738. PMID 24201563. S2CID 205320979.

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